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https://archive.org/details/northwesternstatOOnort 


THE  NORTHWESTERN  STATES 


PORTLAND  CEMENT  COMPANY 


■ 


The  entire  data  of  this  Prospectus  is  based  on  actual  conditions  exist- 
ing today;  the  prevailing  prices  of  the  manufactured  product,  existing  iate> 
of  transportation  and  the  cost  of  production.  Our  information  is  obtained 
from  the  United  States  Geological  Surveys.  Government  Reports,  Directory 
of  American  Cement  Industries,  Cement  and  Engineering  News,  Cement 
and  Slate,  Cement,  Cement  Age,  Concrete,  Rock  Products,  Engineering 
News,  Municipal  Engineering,  and  other  sources  no  less  authentic. 


The  Pantheon  at  Home  is  the  most  perfect  existing  classical  building  in  th.ir 
famous  old  city.  It  was  built  by  Agrippa,  27  B.  C..  nearly  2000  years  ago.  The 
circular  walls  are  about  20  feet  in  thickness,  and  the  roof  is  a hemispherical  ce- 
ment concrete  dome  with  a thirty-foot  opening  in  the  top  and  spanning  in  the 
clear  142  feet  6 inches.  This  is  the  most  remarkable  instance  in  the  world's 
history  showing  the  great  strength,  durability,  and  permanence  in  cement  con- 
crete constructions.  It  has  baffled  the  destructive  elements  of  time  for  nineteen 
centuries  and  shows  not  a single  crack  to-day. 


t 


. 


The  Northwestern  States 
Portland  Cement  Company 

incorporated  under  the  laics  of  the  State  of  West  Virginia. 


OFFICES:  Jackson,  Mich.;  Minneapolis,  Minn.; 
Mason  City,  Iowa. 

MILLS:  Mason  City,  Iowa. 


AUTHORIZED  CAPITAL 

Seven  per  cent  Preferred  Stock,  ....  $1,750,000 

Common  Stock.  ........  1,750,000 

In  Shares  of  8100  each. 

Full  Paid.  N on-Assess  a ble. 


OFFICERS: 

W.  F.  COWHAM,  President. 

E.  J.  BREEN,  Vice  President . 

N.  S.  POTTER.  Treasurer. 


W.  H. 


BOARD  OF 


IV.  F.  COWHAM,  Jackson,  Mich. 

President  Peninsular  Portland  Cement  Co. 
President  Western  States  Portland  Cement  Co. 

E.  J.  BREEN,  Fort  Dodge,  Iowa. 

President  Iowa  Savings  Bank. 

President  North  Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Co. 
President  Aseanda  State  Bank. 

Vice-President  Rothsay  Bank. 

Proprietor  Emmet  County  Bank. 

\Y.  H.  L.  McCOURTIE,  Minneapolis. 

Director  Western  States  Portland  Cement  Co. 
President  Osage  Window  Glass  Co. 

N.  S.  POTTER,  Jackson,  Mich. 

Vice  President  Jackson  City  Bank. 

Treasurer  Peninsular  Portland  Cement  Co. 
Asst.  Treas.  West'll  States  Portland  Cement  Co. 
Treasurer  Jackson,  Ann  Arbor  & Detroit  R.  R. 
Treasurer  Jackson  Wagon  Works. 


L.  McCOURTIE,  Secretary. 


DIRECTORS: 


A.  C.  STICH,  Independence,  Kas. 

President  Citizens  National  Bank. 

Treasurer  Western  States  Portland  Cement  Co. 
President  Coffeyville  Vitrified  Brick  & Tile  Co. 

C.  H.  McNIDER,  Mason  City,  Iowa. 

President  First  National  Bank. 

Head  Banker  M.  W.  A. 

THOMAS  H.  DINSMORE.  Ph.D., 

350  Broadway,  New  York. 

President  National  Underwriting  Co. 

Director  Western  States  Portland  Cement  Cc 

J.  H.  McNAIR,  Halstead,  Kas. 

Cashier  Halstead  Bank. 

President  Kansas  Milling  & Export  Co. 
President  Blackwell  Milling  & Elevator  Co. 
Sec'y  and  Supt.  Halstead  Milling  & Elevator  Co. 

W.  W.  HAWLEY,  Huntington,  Ind. 

Director  Huntington  County  Bank. 

Director  Peninsular  Portland  Cement  Co. 
Director  Western  States  Portland  Cement  Co. 
Director  Western  Lime  Co. 


Address  all  communications  to 

THE  NORTHWESTERN  STATES  PORTLAND  CEMENT  CO., 

Minneapolis,  Minnesota. 


COPYRIGHT,  I90h, 

BY  THE  NORTHWESTERN  STATES  PORTLAND  CEMENT  CO. 


Portland  Cement  Building  Blocks. 


HE  Northwestern  States  Portland 
Cement  Company  is  incorporated  for  the 
porpose  of  manufacturing  and  dealing 
in  Portland  Cement,  lime,  crushed  stone 
and  all  products  of  which  they  form  a 
part;  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  other 
mineral  products  and  by-products;  the  mining  or  digging 
of  minerals,  gas  and  oil,  and  the  sale  thereof;  the  dealing 
in  gas  and  oil  rights;  the  purchase  and  leasing  of  gas,  oil, 
and  mineral  lands  and  the  re-sale  and  re-leasing  thereof. 
The  owning,  holding  and  operating  of  any  railroad  nec- 
essary primarily  for  said  Compan}ds  operation  and  the 
holding  or  owning  of  any  interest  in  any  railroad  or 
other  corporation  or  joint  stock  company  permitted  by 
law;  the  purchase  and  holding  of  real  estate  for  the 
laying  out  of  a town  at  or  near  the  works  of  said  Com- 
pany, the  erection  of  buildings  thereon,  and  the  sale  or 
lease  of  any  of  said  lands  or  buildings ; the  carrying  on  of 
a general  merchandise  business  in  such  town  or  at  said 
works.  The  production,  development,  transmission  and  sale 
of  electric  and  other  power  and  such  other  things  as  may  be 
convenient  or  necessary  to  its  said  business. 

The  object  of  this  prospectus  is  to  bring  The  North- 
western States  Portland  Cement  Company  before  the 
people  and  to  interest  them  in  this  enterprise.  It  will  treat 
briefly  of  the  nature  of  Portland  Cement,  the  modern  proc- 
ess of  manufacture,  and  the  varied  and  constantly  increas- 
ing uses  to  which  the  material  is  being  adapted,  illustrating 
late  developments  and  suggesting  the  future  possibilities  of 
the  cement  business.  It  will  also  present  a brief  account  of 
the  property  of  the  Company ; its  great  natural  advantages 
in  the  way  of  raw  materials,  fuel,  location  as  to  markets, 
transportation,  etc. ; the  nature  of  the  factory  proposed  to 
be  built  and  the  character  and  ability  of  the  men  upon  whom 
the  development  of  this  enterprise  rests. 

A careful  study  of  the  facts  here  presented  will,  it  is 
believed,  lead  to  favorable  deductions,  and  the  conclusion 
that  this  enterprise  offers  returns  seldom  equaled  in  con- 
servative and  safe  investment. 


* 


A 


The  following  table  shows  the  constantly  increasing  consumption  of 
Portland  Cement  in  the  United  States  since  1880: 


1880  229.000  Barrels. 

1881  281,000 

•882  455406 

1883  576,418 

1884  685.768 

1885  704-396 

1886  800,032 

1S87  1,320.400 

1 888  2.085.504 

1889  2,040.356 

1890  2.275.186 

1S91  3,443,126 

1892  2,988.094 

1893  3.264.801 

1894  3,436,864 

'§95  3,987,719 

1896  4.532,620 

1897  4,768,699 

1895  5,706,102 

1S99  7,760,654 

1900  10.868,703 

1901  13.633,651 

1902  19,191,657 

1903  24,594.94 2 

1904  27,474,290 

1905  36.929.945 


During  the  first  half  of  this  period  the  greater  portion  of  the  Portland 
Cement  consumed  in  this  country  was  foreign  or  imported  cement — the 
domestic  production  not  equaling  the  importation  until  the  year  1897.  Dur- 
ing the  second  half  of  this  period  the  imports  have  averaged  about  two  mil- 
lion barrels  annually. 

There  is  today  more  foreign  Portland  Cement  in  transit  to  the  United 
States  than  ever  before  in  the  history  of  this  country,  and,  because  of  the 
tremendous  increase  of  consumption  of  this  material  occasioned  by  the 
recently  recognized  merit  of  this  form  of  construction,  the  indications  are 
that  the  present  will  be  a record  year  for  the  importation  of  foreign  Portland 
Cement  — 


AND  A CUM  HAT  FAMINE  HAS  PREVAILED 
ALMOST  CO  NS  TANTLY. 


. , yV e st  t RN  Si  a 1 1 s N , r{ 

, InH1'  'v  DnlJl  l ANDV 


NOT  ONE  BARREL 

=-  O F 

PORTLAND  CEMENT 


Is  Produced  in  — 

Iowa 

M innesota 
W isconsin 
Nebraska 
N.  Dakota 
Wyoming 
Montana 

The  Natural  Markets  of  this  Company 


COWMAM  . 

CEMEHl 

i»vsTt»Ji 


V 

A BRIEF  STUDY  IN  PORTLAND  CEMENT. 


THERE  has  recently  been  so  marvelous  a growth  in  the  consumption  of 
Portland  Cement,  and  its  uses  in  great  works  of  construction  have 
multiplied  so  rapidly  that  a little  digest  of  information  concerning  it  will 
doubtless  prove  acceptable  here. 

Portland  Cement  is  a mechanical  mixture  varying  within  narrow  limits, 
containing  several  definite  compounds  produced  by  the  proper  calcination  of 
finely  divided  limestone,  marl,  or  other  calcareous  material  with  clay.  To 
manufacture  a good  article  there  must  be  proper  selection  of  material, 
careful  workmanship,  and  the  exercise  of  precaution  to  prevent  entering  into, 
or  remaining  in,  the  finished  product  any  inferior  or  injurious  materials. 

The  limestone  or  marl  supplies  calcium,  while  the  clay  furnishes  silica, 
alumina  and  iron  oxide.  At  a temperature  of  about  3,000  degrees  Fahren- 
heit chemical  action  takes  place  in  the  kiln,  resulting  in  the  formation  of 
cement  clinkers  composed  of  calcium  silicate,  calcium  aluminate,  and  alum- 
inum silicate.  This  clinker,  when  finely  ground,  is  the  Portland  Cement  of 
commerce.  If  the  composition,  in  molecule  and  mass,  is  correct  in  this 
mixture  the  addition  of  the  proper  amount  of  water  to  the  finely  ground 
material  causes  crystallization,  whereupon  the  mass  begins  to  harden  into 
rock  and  continues  to  increase  in  strength  for  several  years  before  reaching 
its  maximum. 

This  process  is  markedly  different  from  that  of  the  manufacture  of 
natural  cement  which  consists  simply  in  the  calcination  and  grinding  of  a 
natural  rock  containing  approximately  the  ingredients  for  a cement,  but 
lacking  uniformity  and  definiteness  in  composition.  Portland  Cements 
range  much  higher  in  specific  gravity  than  do  natural  cements,  and  there- 
fore the  latter  are  sometimes  called  the  light  cements. 

If  sufficient  care  be  not  exercised  in  the  manufacture  of  Portland 
Cement  free  lime  will  be  present  when  the  product  comes  from  the  Kiln, 
and  must  be  removed  by  exposure  to  the  atmosphere.  If  this  be  not  done 
the  free  lime  will  cause  swelling  of  the  cement  in  barrels  and  checking  and 
“blowing”  in  finished  work.  Sufficient  care  and  the  correct  process  ot 
manufacture  will,  however,  make  practically  unnecessary  this  maturing  and 
“purging,”  as  it  is  called. 

Magnesia  and  sulphuric  anhydride  are  always  found,  to  a greater  or 
less  extent,  in  Portland  Cement ; and  occasionally  the  alkalies,  potash  and 
soda,  occur  also;  but  these  are  unimportant  if  in  very  small  proportions. 

Purity  of  raw  materials,  their  correct  chemical  combination,  a perfect 
system  of  manufacture  together  with  experience  and  scientific  accuracy  are 
essential  for  the  production  of  a uniform,  high-grade  Portland  Cement. 

Great  strides  have  recently  been  made  in  this  direction ; the  method  of 
manufacture  having  been  continually  perfected,  until  to-day  high  grade 
Portland  Cement  is  regarded  throughout  the  world  as  the  best  building 
material  known  and  one  of  the  necessities  in  all  modern  construction. 


10 


N. 


i 


AMERICA’S  SUPERIOR  PRODUCT,  AND 
PROCESS  OF  MANUFACTURE. 


NLY  a few  years  ago  all  Portland  Cement  was  imported  from  England 


V>/  and  Germany.  Gradually  English  makers  lost  control  and  the  German 
product  became  the  standard  because  of  the  greater  care  and  more  advanced 
methods  employed  by  the  Germans,  who  produced,  in  consequence,  a higher 
grade  of  cement.  To-day,  however,  the  quality  of  the  cement  manufactured 
in  the  United  States  excels  the  foreign  product.  This  is  extremely  grati- 
fying, when  the  degree  of  technical  skill  required  in  making  a high-grade 
article  is  taken  into  consideration.  The  reason  for  the  superiority  of 
American  Portland  Cement  lies,  not  only  in  unsurpassed  raw  materials,  but 
also  in  the  modern  and  improved  method  of  American  manufacture. 

No  better  testimonial  of  the  quality  of  the  Portland  Cement  now  pro- 
duced in  this  country  can  be  found  than  that  given  in  the  reports  of 
Mr.  Richard  Humphrey,  Cement  Inspector  for  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for 
the  years  1896  to  1899.  These  reports  include  tables  showing  graphically 
the  results  obtained  from  all  cements  tested  in  the  Philadephia  City  Labora- 
tory in  the  years  mentioned.  These  tables  show  that  the  average  of  all 
American  cements,  both  neat  and  with  sand,  is  distinctly  higher  than  either 
the  English  or  the  German.  This  evidence,  with  numerous  similar  records 
obtained  by  government  and  private  engineers,  warrants  the  claim  that  there 
is  to-day  no  Portland  Cement  made  in  any  foreign  countries  that  is  equal  in 
quality  to  the  leading  American  brands. 

Mr.  William  Harper.  Manager  of  the  Commercial  and  Intelligence 
Bureau  of  London,  in  a report  says : “The  Americans  have  adopted  a proc- 
ess of  manufacturing  cement  by  means  of  rotary  roasting  mills  which  will 
drive  England,  France  and  Germany  practically  out  of  the  field.  By  the 
aid  of  simpler  and  better  machinery  the  Americans  are  able  to  make  their 
article  in  eight  hours,  while  England,  with  its  ancient,  cumbersome  equip  - 
ment, requires  three  or  four  weeks.  The  cost  of  the  American  product  is 
less  than  half  that  of  the  English.” 

So  noted  an  expert  as  Mr.  LI.  Howard  LIumphrey,  M.  I.  M.  E..  A.  M. 
I C.  E.,  recently  read  a paper  before  the  British  Architectural  Association 
in  which  he  plainly  declared:  “The  cost  of  producing  Portland  Cement  in 
America  by  the  rotary  kiln  process  is  approximately  three-fourths  of  that  of 
the  cheapest  process  in  vogue  on  the  River  Thames,  and  Medway,  and  the 
output  is  also  very  largely  increased.” 

City  Engineer  Ericson,  of  Chicago,  is  quoted  in  one  of  the  daily  papers 
of  that  city  as  saying:  “I  do  not  know  of  a barrel  of  Portland  Cement  of 
foreign  make  which  has  gone  into  construction  here  in  Chicago  during  the 
"last  two  years.  There  never  was  a brighter  industrial  future  than  that  now 
before  American  makers  of  Portland  Cement.” 


11 


n'O 


.llVvi  sii  un States 

S1"  ^PonHAND 


(l  MI  N I (o. 


COWHAW 

CEMENT 

v SVSTC^ 


V 


PORTLAND  Cement  is  daily  becoming  a more  and  more  important  factor 
in  the  industrial  and  commercial  development  of  all  countries.  Its  ready 
adaptability  and  superior  qualities  for  use  in  constructions  of  all  kinds  are 
being  demonstrated  throughout  the  land,  and  it  is  now  regarded  as  the 
chief  building  material  of  the  age. 

The  consumption  of  Portland  Cement  in  all  countries  is  increasing 
with  most  wonderful  rapidity.  A reference  to  the  table  given  on  page  8 
will  show  that  in  the  United  States  alone  during  the  five  years  preceding 
the  year  1900  the  consumption  of  Portland  Cement  increased  at  the  average 
rate  of  nearly  1,000,000  barrels  annually.  For  the  five  years  following  the 
year  1900  the  average  rate  of  increase  reached  the  enormous  sum  of  over 
5,000,000  barrels  per  annum,  and  for  the  year  1905  (although  a veritable 
cement  famine  prevailed  throughout  the  country  and  large  and  important 
works  were  delayed  or  suspended  for  the  lack  of  cement)  the  rate  of  increase 
was  far  in  excess  of  that  of  any  previous  year  and  the  total  consumption 
for  the  year  1905  was  36,929,945  barrels.  This  is  a rate  that  has  not, 
perhaps,  been  equaled  by  any  other  article  used  by  man,  and  is  due  to  the 
multitude  of  new  applications  which  Portland  Cement  is  constantly  finding 
and  its  rapidly  increasing  use  in  place  of  other  building  materials  in  con- 
structions of  all  kinds. 

It  is  a noticeable  fact  that  while  the  consumption  of  Portland  Cement  in 
the  United  States  is  constantly  increasing  at  such  a tremendous  rate,  dis- 
placing wood,  brick,  stone,  steel,  terra  cotta  and  other  building  materials, 
the  consumption  of  natural  rock  and  slag  cements  is  rapidly  decreasing  (the 
consumption  of  natural  rock  cement  having  decreased  from  approximately 
10,000,000  barrels  in  the  year  1899  to  8,000,000  barrels  in  the  year  1900, 
and  4,000,000  barrels  in  the  year  1905;  and  the  consumption  of  slag  cement 
having  decreased  at  even  a greater  rate),  which  proves  beyond  question 
that  Portland  Cement  by  reason  of  its  merit  is  not  only  sweeping  before  it 
every  form  of  the  usual  structural  materials  but  is  also  destined  to  completely 
replace  natural  rock  and  slag  cements  in  America  as  it  has  already  done  in 
Germany,  where,  previous  to  1852,  every  barrel  of  cement  consumed  was 
natural  or  hydraulic  cement. 

The  supply  of  cement  in  the  United  States  can  not  by  any  means  meet 
the  present  demand,  much  less  the  increasing  demand.  Notwithstanding 
heavy  importations,  together  with  a marked  increase  in  home  production,  a 
cement  famine  prevails,  in  consequence  of  which  the  amount  consumed  is 
considerably  less  than  that  required  by  the  country.  Many  of  the  large 
government,  municipal,  and  railroad  contracts  are  of  necessity  being  carried 


12 


rJo^ 


rHvV 


ESTtRN  S i A I i S 


Pori  1 


\M)  (lMIM(n. 


over  to  next  season  for  the  sole  reason  that  a sufficient  quantity  of  high- 
grade  Portland  Cement  cannot  be  procured.  The  building  of  new  railroads 
and  canals  now  projected,  also  the  extension  and  permanent  improvement 
of  the  old  lines  will  for  years  to  come  consume  millions  of  barrels  of  Portland 
Cement. 

In  view  of  the  great  extent  of  territory  still  to  be  developed,  the  magni- 
tude of  building  operations,  public  works,  etc.,  and  the  general  progress 
and  development  sure  to  come,  it  is  absolutely  certain  that  the  consump- 
tion of  Portland  Cement  in  this  country  will  continue  to  grow  from  year 
to  year  as  experience  proves  the  utility  and  permanency  of  concrete  con- 
struction. Furthermore,  the  consumption  of  cement  per  capita  in  this 
country  is  still  much  less  than  the  amount  consumed  per  capita  in  some 
European  countries,  showing  that  the  industry  here  is  still  in  a comparatively 
undeveloped  state.  It  therefore  seems  certain  that  no  country  presents  a 
better  field  or  a more  promising  market  for  high-grade  Portland  Cement 
than  does  the  United  States. 


U. 

— -w/ 


NATURAL  ADVANTAGES. 


The  natural  advantages  determining  the  value  of  a Portland  Cement 
manufacturing  proposition  are  of  a complex  nature,  depending  upon  a num- 
ber of  distinct  factors,  ignorance  of  the  respective  importance  of  which 
frequently  leads  to  disaster.  The  most  important  of  these  are : 

Amount  of  raw  materials  available. 

Physical  character  of  the  materials. 

Chemical  composition  of  the  materials. 

Location  with  respect  to  water  supply. 

Location  with  respect  to  labor. 

Location  with  respect  to  fuel  supplies. 

Location  with  respect  to  markets. 

Location  with  respect  to  transportation  routes. 

Choice  of  mechanical  appliances. 

All  of  these  the  Northwestern  States  Portland  Cement  Company 
possesses  to  an  extent  nnequaled  and  unknown  to  any  other  producer. 
Coupled  with  these  natural  advantages,  it  is  especially  fortunate  in  having 
that  no  less  important  factor  of  success,  the  competent  and  expert  manage- 
ment of  men  thoroughly  familiar  with  every  detail  of  cement  manufacture. 


13 


PROPERTY 


COWHAM „ 

YEMENI 

V SvsTtl^i 


THE  property  to  be  utilized  by  the  Northwestern  States  Portland 
Cement  Company  consists  of  about  500  acres  of  Portland  Cement 
rock  and  clay  shale  deposits  lying  in  close  proximity  but  distinctly  separate 
from  each  other,  and  situated  immediately  adjacent  to  the  corporate  limits 
of  Mason  City,  Iowa,  at  the  intersection  of  the  Chicago,  Great  Western  Ry., 
Chicago,  Northwestern  Ry.,  The  Iowa  Central  Ry.,  The  Chicago,  Milwaukee 
& St.  Paul  Rv.,  The  Mason  City  & Clear  Lake  Interurban  Ry.,  and  the 
projected  Des  Moines,  Iowa  Falls  & Northern  Ry. 

The  mill  sight  is  most  favorably  located  on  high  ground  near  the 
water’s  edge  of  Calamus  Creek,  which  flows  through  the  cement  property, 
and  is  also  near  Lime  Creek,  which  forms  the  Eastern  boundary ; from 
these  streams  the  cement  plant  is  assured  an  unfailing  and  abundant  water 
supply. 

The  unique  location  of  this  Company's  property,  it  being  situated  in  an 
adjoining  township  just  outside  the  corporate  limits  of  Mason  City,  as- 
sures a low  tax  rate  on  this  Company’s  property  permanently,  while  at  the 
same  time  the  location  of  the  mill  site,  being  so  close  at  hand  and  directly 
connected  with  Mason  City  by  street  car  lines,  places  the  Company  in  a 
position  to  easily  procure  and  retain  the  high  class  of  labor  necessary  to  keep 
the  plant  in  constant  uninterrupted  operation,  and  gives  to  the  Company 
many  other  advantages. 

The  physical  properties  of  the  raw  materials  are  excellent,  as  both  the 
rock  and  shale  extend  to  the  surface,  hence  will  require  practically  no  strip- 
ping in  handling;  and  as  the  rock  is  soft  in  texture  and  when  blasted  frac- 
tures along  both  horizontal  and  parallel  lines  into  small  cubes,  it  should  be 
quarried,  delivered  to  the  crushers,  and  reduced  to  the  fine  powder  required 
for  mixing  at  a comparatively  very  slight  expense. 


Raw  Materials. 


nr  HE  quality  and  quantity  of  the  raw  materials  contained  on  the  Com- 
pany’s  property  have  been  thoroughly  examined  and  tested,  core  bor- 
ings and  analysis  having  been  made  by  eminent  experts  and  chemists 
especially  fitted  for  this  work,  and  their  reports  show  all  the  materials  to  be 
practically  pure  and  almost  entirely  free  from  certain  foreign  substances, 
which  as  a rule,  are  found  in  sufficient  quantities  to  render  the  materials 
worthless  for  the  manufacture  of  a high-grade  Portland  Cement.  Our  own 
engineers  and  experts  have  examined  the  entire  property  in  detail  and  all 
report  it  to  be  a rare  deposit  of  superior  quality,  unlimited  in  quantity,  and 
perfectly  adapted,  as  to  location,  -for  the  business  to  be  conducted  success- 


.WESTERN  Siam  s 

' pmsii  " 


V.dO 

V'A, 


fully  and  profitably.  Such  raw  materials  are  hard  to  find ; so  hard  indeed 
that  we  believe  it  to  be  practically  impossible  to  find  in  the  Central  North- 
west another  such  property  containing  the  two  raw  materials  of  equal 
quality  so  admirably  located.  The  discovery  of  the  property  will  be  more 
fully  appreciated  when  it  is  understood  that  to-day  fully  85  per  cent  of  the 
Portland  Cement  produced  in  the  United  States  is  made  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi River,  and  at  least  75  per  cent  of  that  manufactured  in  this  eastern 
division  from  these  materials  is  made  in  the  Lehigh  Valley  region  of  Penn- 
sylvania. entirely  within  a radius  of  fifteen  miles  of  Allentown — -and  not 
one  barrel  is  produced  in  the  territory  naturally  tributary  to  this  Company’s 
plant. 


FUEL. 


PIE  expense  connected  with  the  manufacture  of  Portland  Cement  is 


A divided  into  several  items,  viz.,  getting  out  raw  material  and  trans- 
porting it  to  the  mill ; reducing  and  preparing  the  raw  material  by  grinding 
and  mixing;  burning  the  prepared  mixture  of  raw  materials  to  produce 
clinker ; grinding  the  resultant  clinker  into  an  impalpable  powder,  which 
is  the  finished  product,  Portland  Cement ; packing  and  getting  ready  for 


shipment. 


One  of  the  most  important  and  largest  items  in  the  cost  of  manufactur- 
ing this  product,  is  fuel.  Fuel  is  necessary  not  only  to  furnish  power  for 
operating  the  mixing,  grinding,  conveying  and  all  other  machinery,  but  also 
for  generating  the  immense  amount  of  intense  heat,  which  it  is  necessary  to 
maintain  in  the  furnaces  for  calcining  the  raw  material  after  it  has  been 
properly  prepared. 

In  this  respect  the  Northwestern  States  Portland  Cement  Com- 
pany is  most  favorably  located ; the  great  Iowa  coal  fields  being  close  at 
hand  and  immediately  connected  by  two  Trunk  Line  Railroads  running  di- 
rectly from  the  mines  to  the  cement  plant  and  direct  connections  being  also 
had  with  the  great  Illinois  coal  fields,  a certain  and  ample  supply  of  cheap 
and  desirable  fuel  is  thus  assured  at  all  times.  Fuel  can  be  secured  at  this 
point  at  a minimum  cost  and  this  Company,  by  reason  of  its  exceptional 
location,  holds  an  unequaled  position  in  the  possible  Portland  Cement  manu- 
facturing field  of  this  Central  Northwest  district,  which  gives  it  a decided 
advantage  over  possible  competitors  in  the  way  of  cheaper  fuel. 

This  is  an  advantage  that  no  other  possible  location  for  a cement  plant 
in  this  district  can  offer,  and,  taken  in  connection  with  this  Company  s ad- 
mirable shipping  facilities,  doubly  insures  the  permanent  advantage  of  pro- 
ducing cement,  in  its  best  form,  at  this  company's  plant,  and  delivering  it 
out  upon  this  market  at  a total  cost  immeasurably  less  than  it  could  possibly 
be  done  from  elsewhere;  and  renders  this  proposition  one  of  the  most  de- 
sirable Portland  Cement  properties  ever  discovered. 


S 

A I 

A- 

- — 


15 


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,,vS  i snu\Si  \rt„  c - 

pi“  MW'A'd(£MLNT^ 


NEXT  in  importance  to  the  abundant  supply  of  good  raw  materials  and 
fuel  comes  the  question  of  location  with  reference  to  the  markets  at 
which  it  is  proposed  to  deliver  the  product  of  the  mills,  as  this  factor  alone 
enables  manufacturers  favorably  located  to  survive  competition,  which 
would  prove  ruinous  to  others.  In  this  respect  Mason  City  is  an  ideal  loca- 
tion. Situated,  as  it  is,  near  the  geographical  center  of  the  Central  North- 
west District,  it  is  in  the  very  heart  of  the  producing  region  of  the  United 
States.  Within  this  territory  lie  the  majority  of  the  fertile  lands  of  this 
country  west  of  the  Mississippi  River.  This  great  Central  Northwest 
section,  rapidly  growing  and  endowed  with  unlimited  natural  resources,  is 
to-day,  and  must  be  for  years  to  come,  one  of  the  best  and  most  extensive 
markets  in  the  country  for  Portland  Cement.  The  rapid  development  of 
this  region  and  the  constantly  increasing  uses  to  which  Portland  Cement 
is  being  put,  insures  that  for  years  to  come  the  demand  well  be  largely  in 
excess  of  the  local  supply. 

The  ability  to  reach  such  markets  often  determines  the  destiny  of 
manufacturing  undertakings.  The  advantages  of  transportation  cannot  be 
over-estimated  in  an  enterprise  of  this  nature.  To  locate  a Portland  Cement 
plant  with  poor  shipping  facilities  is  simply  to  invite  disaster.  Cement  is  a 
heavy  substance  and  the  cost  of  transporting  it  to  markets  is  commonly  a 
very  considerable  portion  of  the  cost  to  the  consumer.  A mill  which 
enjoys  the  advantage  of  low  freight  rates  can  sell  its  products  at  a profit 
at  prices  with  which  other  mills  paying  higher  rates  cannot  compete.  Cheap 
transportation  is  such  an  important  factor  in  an  enterprise  of  this  nature 
that  it  alone  may  add  very  materially  to  the  profits  on  the  investment. 

Over  do  per  cent  of  the  Portland  Cement  produced  in  the  United  States 
is  made  in  the  Lehigh  regions  of  Pennsylvania.  This  eastern  section,  to- 
gether with  the  Michigan  territory,  constitute  the  two  great  cement  pro- 
ducing sections  of  the  United  States,  leaving  but  a very  small  percentage  of 
the  output  of  this  country  to  be  made  west  of  the  Mississippi  River  and 
not  one  barrel  of  Portland  Cement  is  manufactured  in  Iowa,  Minnesota , 
Wisconsin,  N.  Dakota,  Nebraska,  liyoming  and  Montana,  the  natural  mar- 
kets for  this  company's  mill.  Minneapolis,  St.  Paul.  Des  Moines,  Waterloo, 
Cedar  Rapids,  Ft.  Dodge,  Sioux  City,  La  Crosse,  Omaha,  Council  Bluffs, 
Lincoln,  Sioux  Falls.  Fargo,  Grand  Forks,  etc.,  the  distributing  points  for 
these  great  locally  unsupplied  states,  are  constantly  demanding  more  cement, 
and  their  dealers  are  obliged  to  contract  with  eastern  and  foreign  mills  for 
large  quantities  annually,  and  to  pay  the  high  freight  rates  incident  to  the 


is 


jjo'’1 


{N5TA1LS  fiKttx,  i. 


long  haul  by  rail.  The  products  of  distant  Portland  Cement  plants  now 
consumed  in  this  territory,  though  enormous  and  still  increasing,  should  be 
largely  excluded  from  this  market  by  transportation  charges  alone,  as  soon 
as  a high-grade  Portland  Cement  is  produced  within  this  market. 

This  Company,  with  its  warehouses  directly  upon  the  tracks  of  four  of 
the  most  important  northwestern  trunk  line  railroads,  The  Chicago  Great 
Western,  The  Chicago  Northwestern,  The  Iowa  Central,  and  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  & St.  Paul,  is  in  direct  communication  with  and  has  facilities 
for  reaching  the  important  cities  and  towns  of  the  west  and  northwest,  at 
a freight  rate  that  renders  successful  competition  in  this  territory  from 
other  factories  less  favorably  located  practically  impossible.  Situated  as  it 
is,  at  the  county  seat  of  Cerro  Gordo  County,  Iowa,  which  is  one  of  the 
greatest  railroad  sections  of  the  Central  Northwest,  this  Company  will  be 
further  enabled  at  all  times  to  move  its  products  rapidly  and  will  be  inde- 
pendent of  the  congestion  of  traffic  which  at  busy  seasons  frequently  delays 
shipments.  In  this  respect  it  is  given  so  distinct  and  great  an  advantage 
over  all  other  producers  that  it  can  without  doubt  control  the  cement  trade 
of  this  particular  territory  and  do  so  up, on  a highly  profitable  basis. 

It  is  evident  from  the  foregoing  that,  with  its  splendid  deposits  of  raw 
materials,  its  abundance  of  cheap  fuel,  its  proximity  to  great,  increasing 
and  locally  unsupplied  markets,  and  its  remarkable  transportation  facilities, 
this  Company  has  one  of  the  finest  cement  properties  on  the  continent.  It 
would  be  difficult  to  name  any  respect  in  which  the  location  at  Mason  City 
could  be  improved  upon.  These  natural  advantages  when  developed  by  the 
corps  of  experienced  men  associated  with  this  Company  and  handled  by 
conservative  and  reliable  men  experienced  in  the  commercial  side  of  the 
Cement  business  should  insure  the  success  and  stability  of  this  enterprise. 


17 


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iToomaDDm 
|1  mm  a mm 
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l : 


ii  jj  □□ DDiad  □□□□□□□□cue 

m j i j I-  ir-L  2 ! ' 

^ \ . - " i 

fcr  V omoppre 


7 

/ 

L_ 

i 

„„  *•  £he  ■select!on  of  th‘s  company's  properties  was  made  as  the  result  of  a systematic  and  thorough  in- 
' estimation  covering  practically  the  entire  states  of  Iowa  and  Minnesota  in  an  effort  to  find  the  proper 
ShorliJ?  accessible  in  a suitable  location.  This  investigation  exhausted  every  possible  available  point  else- 
vheie  in  this  northwestern  territory  and  proved  conclusively  this  company's  properties  to  be  the  ideal 
proposition;  from  the  above  map  this  splendid  location  can  readily  be  seen.  Plenwe  note  the  three  trunk; 
fine  Hallways,  running:  directly  through  tliin  Company’s  rock  property  making  it  possible  for 
ts  plant  to  be  directly  connected  with  these  railroads  at  slight  expense,  which  should  save  thousands  of  dol- 
lais  annually  in  railroad  switching  charges  alone,  besides  enabling  it  to  get  Its  product  directlv  and  quickly 
the  market  and  without  the  possibility  of  delay.  Add  to  this  its  many  other  advantages  including  the 
an(*i  exceptional  purity  of  its  raw  materials  so  easy  of  access  as  above  shown,  its  cheap  and 
abundant  supply  of  fuel,  its  admirable  location  as  to  locally  unsupplied  markets,  its  improved  method  of  man- 
ufacturing, its  experienced  and  competent  management,  and  it  clearly  appears  that  the  Northwestern  States 
l onn.AXD  cement  Company  is  entitled  to  the  conclusion  that  this  is  the  very  best  Tortland  Cement  proposi- 
tion on  the  American  continent. 


19 


. . v I STE  U N S I AT  I S a.iiv,/ 

11  ^Portland  (e^lm  Co. 


FACTORY 


AND  EQUIPMENT. 


COwHAM . 

CEMEW 

£ SYSTEM 


TO  investors  in  the  Portland  Cement  industry,  the  question  of  factory, 
its  process,  equipment,  capacity,  and  quality  of  cement  it  will  produce 
is  of  vital  importance. 

Poor,  incompetent,  or  dishonest  management  can  be  promptly  displaced, 
but  it  is  a difficult,  impractical  and  expensive  undertaking  to  replace  a poorly 
designed  and  cheaply  constructed  cement  factory  with  a good  one.  To 
insure  constant  good  earning  power,  a Portland  Cement  factory  must  first 
of  all  be  constructed  with  the  view  of  permanancy  and  have  capacity  cor- 
responding w ith  the  capital  so  invested ; it  must  be  equipped  with  machinery 
that  is  certain  to  run  and  do  its  work  from  year  to  year  without  trouble  and 
annoyance,  and  the  process  of  manufacture  must  be  one  that  will  insure 
a uniform,  high-grade  cement. 

The  history  of  this  industry  in  both  Europe  and  America,  proves  con- 
clusively that  the  designers  and  builders  of  the  most  successful  Portland 
Cement  factories,  together  with  the  machinery  therein  installed,  have  gained 
their  knowledge  after  years  of  practical  experience  in  cement  making.  It 
is  therefore  of  the  utmost  importance  to  prospective  investors  and  those 
interested  in  the  cement  industry  that  the  men  upon  whom  this  responsibil- 
ity rests  should  be  men  of  practical  experience  and  unquestionable  ability. 

The  factory  to  be  built  at  Mason  City,  Iowa,  will  be  the  product  of  the 
best  mechanical  and  engineering  skill  in  America,  and  having  an  estimated 
daily  capacity  of  2500  barrels.  The  power  generated  will  be  electrically 
distributed  throughout  the  plant,  which  will  be  modern  in  every  detail ; tbe 
buildings  will  be  convenient  and  equipped  with  the  best  and  strongest  types 
of  machinery,  all  of  which  will  be  specially  designed  for  this  plant. 

The  Northwestern  States  Portland  Cement  Company  is  especially 
fortunate  in  having  associated  with  it  a staff  of  the  most  practical  cement 
engineers  in  this  country,  who  have  designed  (including  the  machinery  itself) 
and  superintended  the  construction  of  many  of  the  most  modern  and  suc- 
cessful cement  mills  in  North  America;  men  who  are  identified  with  it  in 
the  cement  business,  and  who  are  recognized  leaders  in  cement  manufacture. 

Under  these  circumstances  there  is  positively  no  guess  work,  no  experi- 
menting, and  the  most  economical  and  perfect  system  of  manufacture  is  in- 
sured; hence  the  best  product. 

It  is  a notable  fact  that  the  remarkable  growth  and  healthy  condition  of 
the  Portland  Cement  industry  has  offered  great  inducement  to  inexperienced 
engineers  and  promoters  to  engage  in  the  business,  who  of  necessity  must 
obtain  their  experience  slowly,  and  possibly  at  the  expense  of  investors.  It 
is  well  known  to  cement  manufacturers  that  millions  of  dollars  have  been 
spent  in  Europe  and  America  in  learning  and  experimenting  in  the  econom- 
ical manufacture  of  a high-grade  Portland  Cement;  that  in  many  of  the 
factories  now  in  existence  large  amounts  of  money  have  been  spent  in  pro- 
cesses and  equipments  which  proved  useless,  and  that  there  is  great  danger 
of  possible  misguided  judgment  founded  upon  lack  of  experience  and 
knowledge  in  connection  with  the  construction  and  equipment  of  cement 
mills. 


In  view  of  the  foregoing,  surely  it  is  a satisfaction  to  know  that  this 
Company,  as  previously  stated,  has  associated  with  it  in  this  business  a staff 
of  engineers  who  are  pioneers  in  cement  manufacture  and  who  are  principals 
in  designing  cement  mills,  and  to  whom  the  world  is  largely  indebted  for 

20 


rtVVESTEKN  S\\\\s  ^ 

^ ' poun  aND  ^ w ^ 

-'“-  - *■ 


the  standard  of  perfection  reached  in  the  manufacture  of  high  grade  Port- 
land Cement,  their  last  and  crowning  effort  being  the  magnificent  plant  of 
The  Western  States  Portland  Cement  Company,  Independence,  Kan- 
sas, which  is  acknowledged  by  experts,  both  in  Europe  and  America,  to  be 
the  most  modern  and  best  equipped  Portland  Cement  plant  in  the  world. 


Experienced  Supervision. 


NO!'  all  cement  is  high  grade  cement.  To  manufacture  and  maintain  an 
efficient  high  grade  Portland  Cement  the  most  indefatigable  supervi- 
sion, and  carefully  handling  of  the  raw  materials  are  absolutely  essential ; 
otherwise  a low  grade  “natural"  cement  is  the  result.  If  the  proper  analysis 
and  proportioning  are  not  attended  to,  or  if  the  calcining  is  imperfect,  or  if 
the  necessary  fineness  of  grinding  is  not  maintained,  and  it  should  be  under- 
stood that  a lower  expense  of  manufacture  can  easily  be  secured  by  neglect- 
ing these  requisites,  a low  grade  article  is  produced,  and  one  disastrous  and 
costly  to  the  consumer.  The  manufacture  of  this  material  is  an  intricate 
process  and  it  is  more  important  in  Portland  Cement  manufacture  than  in 
almost  anything  else  not  only  to  have  the  highest  type  of  equipment  through- 
out. but  also  to  have  experienced,  conscientious  work  in  connection  with 
every  detail. 

One  of  the  most  frequent  causes  of  failure  of  many  manufacturing 
plants  is,  that  after  being  designed  and  constructed  they  are  turned  over  to 
the  management  of  some  person  or  persons  who  know  nothing  whatever 
regarding  their  operation.  With  but  little  or  no  regard  for  their  knowledge 
of  or  experience  with  cement  factories  or  cement  machinery,  consulting 
mechanical  engineers  of  reputation  are  often  employed  to  furnish  plans  and 
designs  for  cement  plants ; they  having  not  only  no  particular  interest  in  the 
work  of  construction,  but  also  having  no  interest  whatever  in  the  operation 
of  the  plant,  or  the  future  success  of  the  enterprise. 

The  management  of  the  organization  responsible  for  the  erection  of  the 
magnificent  factories  illustrated  in  these  pages,  realizing  the  importance  of 
trained  supervision  in  their  operation,  as  well  as  their  construction,  early 
associated  with  them  in  the  business  not  only  the  experienced  engineers, 
who  have  the  general  supervision  of  these  plants  after  construction,  as 
well  as  before,  but  also  surrounded  themselves  with  competent  and  experi- 
enced cement  makers  and  heads  of  departments,  all  of  whom  are  directly 
interested  from  the  manufacturers’  standpoint  in  the  future  success  of  the 
enterprise.  It  is  therefore  absolutely  certain  that  every  safeguard  possible 
is  provided  that  will  insure  not  only  the  most  improved  plants  and  equip- 
ment, but  also  trained  supervision  in  their  operation. 


Trained  Business  Management  Necessary. 


TO  insure  the  success  of  large  manufacturing  undertakings,  trained 
business  management  is  of  vital  importance.  The  men  upon  whom  this 
responsibility  rests,  should  first  of  all  be  honest  and  trustworthy;  besides  they 
should  have  ability  and  experience  in  the  business  in  which  they  are  en- 
gaged. In  the  development  of  this  enterprise  much  care  and  consideration 
has  been  given  to  this  point,  and  the  management  selected  is  of  the  very 
strongest  organization  now  engaged  in  Portland  Cement  manufacture,  and 
the  directorate  of  this  Company  is  composed  of  men  of  substantial  financial 
interests,  experience  and  moral  standing,  and  are  men  from  whom  we  have 
a right  to  expect  nothing  but  safe  and  conservative  management  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  affairs. 


21 


PROFITS. 


It  is  now  generally  conceded  by  all  that  Portland  Cement  is  the  one 
great  essential  building  material  of  the  future — surpassing  steel  and  all 
other  constructive  materials — and  while  its  use  seems  to  have  already  become 
almost  universal  in  building  operations  of  all  kinds,  it  is  yet  plainly  apparent 
to  those  best  informed  on  the  subject  that  we  are  even  now  in  infancy  in  the 
manufacture  and  use  of  this  material,  and  that  this  great  industry,  when 
properly  handled,  has  the  very  brighest  future  possible  before  it.  Portland 
cement  is  a permanently  marketable  article,  does  not  go  out  of  fashion,  and 
a careful  investigation  of  the  industry  in  general  proves  conclusively  that 
it  has  been  universally  a profitable  and  staple  business,  and  though  often  sur- 
rounded by  many  disadvantages  has  almost  universally  made  handsome  divi- 
dends, as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  articles  taken  from  the  press  of 
this  country : 


It  is  generally  conceded  that  securities  based  on  the  Portland  Cement  industry  have 
a very  promising  future  in  view  of  the  broadening  field  for  operation  of  the  companies. 
Stock  of  the  American  Cement  Company,  it  seems  to  many,  is  a very  attractive  purchase 
around  current  quotations.  But  very  little  of  this  issue,  however,  comes  on  the  market 
due  to  the  fact  that  it  is  closely  held  by  investors. — Stockholder,  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
February,  1900. 

Prosperous  Institution. — It  should  be  gratifying  to  Reporter  readers  to  learn 
that  the  mammoth  plant  of  the  Western  States  Portland  Cement  Company,  which 
started  manufacturing  cement  only  about  ninety  days  ago,  is  already  upon  a splendid 
paying  basis  and  that  an  immense  financial  success  for  its  owners  is  assured.  On 
account  of  its  perfect  equipment  this  company’s  product  is  far  superior  to  any  hereto- 
fore placed  upon  this  market  and  its  cost  of  manufacture  is  less  than  in  any  other 
cement  plant  in  the  world.  The  manufacture  of  cement,  properly  handled,  is  a prosper- 
ous industry  and  Independence  should  certainly  be  proud  of  her  concerns  located  here. 
— Independence  Daily  Reporter,  Feb.  8th,  1906. 

At  a meeting  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Peninsular  Portland  Cement  Com- 
pany, of  Jackson,  Michigan,  on  December  23rd,  the  regular  7 per  cent  dividend  on  Pre- 
ferred Stock  was  declared,  payable  on  or  before  January  1st,  1903.  The  Company  has 
enjoyed  a very  prosperous  career,  and  are  now  doing  an  enormous  business.  Although 
the  factory  has  been  in  constant  operation  both  day  and  night  since  its  completion,  the 
Company  has  been  utterly  unable  to  supply  the  unsolicited  orders  for  its  product — which 
has  made  it  necessary  for  a further  increase  in  the  capacity  of  the  plant.  The  Penin- 
sular Company  enjoys  the  distinction  of  having  the  most  modern  cement  mill  in 
existence. — Michigan  Investor,  Detroit,  Jan.  ist,  1903. 

Boom  in  Cement  Business. — * * * The  holders  of  the  stock  of  the  parent  company 
of  the  Cowham  group,  The  Peninsular  Portland  Cement  Company  of  this  city,  are 
congratulating  themselves  these  days,  as  the  dividend  of  seven  per  cent.,  declared  Jan- 
uary ist  last,  has  been  followed  by  a notice  of  another  dividend  of  seven  per  cent.,  to 
be  paid  July  ist.  The  people  of  this  city  who  invested  in  cement  stock  in  the  days 
when  the  business  was  in  absolute  infancy  and  wholly  an  experiment,  are  feeling  quite 
pleasant  nowadays,  as  every  mill  of  the  Cowham  system  in  operation  not  only  has  con- 
tracts for  its  output  for  a year  in  advance,  but  has  been  turning  down  all  orders  for 
several  weeks  back,  and  the  reputation  of  Mr.  Cowham  as  a prophet  has  not  suffered 
in  consequence  of  the  fulfillment  of  his  predictions. — Jackson  Morning  Patriot,  May  5, 
1903. 


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It  is  reported  that  the  earnings  of  the  American  Cement  Co.,  ending  Nov.  30,  1903, 
were  $470,144. — Concrete. 

The  Wolverine  Portland  Cement  Company  has  just  declared  its  dividend,  being 
the  third  dividend  this  year. — Concrete , Nov.  1903. 

The  Peerless  Portland  Cement  Co.  has  closed  its  season’s  work.  The  past  year 
has  been  a very  successful  one. — Concrete,  Jan.  190 5. 

The  Iola  Portland  Cement  stock  has  advanced  four  points  since  the  first  of  the 
year.- — Cement  and  Engineering  News,  March,  1906. 


There  never  was  a brighter  industrial  future  than  that  now  before  American  makers 
of  Portland  Cement.- — City  Engineer  Ericson,  Chicago,  III. 

The  eastern  cement  companies  are  having  extremely  strong  demand  for  their 
cement  this  spring  at  a considerable  increase  in  price  over  last  year. — Concrete,  April, 


1905. 

The  Chicago  Portland  Cement  Co.  reports  a very  satisfactory  year  and  contem- 
plates increasing  the  capacity  of  its  plant  to  about  75,000  barrels  per  month. — Concrete, 
Dec.  1903. 


The  California  Portland  Cement  Company’s  sales  for  September  were  greater  than 
for  any  preceding  month  for  the  past  twelve  years. — Cement  and  Engineering  Nezvs, 
Oct.,  1903. 


The  Sandusky  Portland  Cement  Co.  has  recently  declared  6 per  cent  dividends  on 
both  Preferred  and  Common  stock  for  the  year  1904. — Cement  and  Engineering  News, 
June,  1904. 


The  Portland  Cement  Co.  located  at  Portland,  Colorado,  will  double  the  size  of  its 
plant,  owing  to  its  having  received  large  orders  for  cement  to  be  used  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  irrigating  canal  in  Nebraska. — Cement  Age,  Jan.,  1906. 


The  Portland  Cement  age  is  just  beginning,  and  those  interested  have  a great  era 
before  them  in  the  manufacture  of  this  material  that  now  has  such  a wonderfully 
increasing  demand. — Cement  and  Engineering  News,  January,  1902. 

Large  Earnings — The  gross  business  of  the  American  Cement  Company  at  Phila- 
delphia, for  the  four  months  ending  March  31st,  shows  an  increase  of  18  per  cent, 
over  the  corresponding  period  of  last  year.  The  balance  sheet  showed  a surplus  of 
quick  assets  over  current  liabilities  of  $243,000. — Cement  and  Engineering  Nezvs,  May, 
1900. 


The  Pacific  Portland  Cement  Works  near  Suiseen,  Cal.,  has  been  in  operation  about 
two  years  and  from  the  start  the  enterprise  has  been  exceptionally  successful.  Addi- 
tions are  now  being  built  to  increase  the  daily  capacity  of  the  plant  to  3,200  barrels. — 
Concrete,  Sept.,  1904. 

Mr.  W.  J.  Budd  of  Owen  Sound  writes  that  the  different  Canadian  Portland 
Cement  companies  are  experiencing  very  great  activity  in  their  business.  Nearly  all 
the  companies  had  a very  satisfactory  year  with  better  prospects  for  the  coming  one. — 
Concrete,  April,  1905. 

The  Wyandotte  Portland  Cement  Co.  report  a very  successful  year  in  their  busi- 
ness. The  demand  has  increased  to  an  extent  that  they  are  unable  to  meet,  with  their 
present  facilities.  The  company  is  now  enlarging  the  plant  to  about  three  times  the 
present  capacity. — Concrete,  Dec.  1905. 

The  Price  of  Cement  Advanced  Eighty  Cents  per  Barrel. — At  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Heiberg  Cement  Company  at  Albany,  N.  Y..  Dr.  Howard  Van  Rensse- 
laer was  chosen  a Director  in  the  place  of  the  late  John  G.  Meyers.  The  company  is 
doing  an  enormous  business.  Their  price  on  cement  has  advanced  over  80  cents  a 
barrel  within  the  past  two  months. — Albany  Press. 


23 


A Good  Business — The  fire  in  the  plant  of  Glens  Falls  Portland  Cement  Co.  on 
'Sunday  caused  a loss  of  $300,000  and  threw  500  men  out  of  employment.  The  Glens 
Falls  Portland  Cement  Co.  was  organized  1893.  and  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the 
State  of  New  York.  The  company  has  been  doing  a very  profitable  business,  and  last 
week  its  stock  sold  at  $170.00  for  $100.00  shares. — Decatur  Evening  Journal,  April,  1900. 

The  directors  of  the  Sandusky  Portland  Cement  Company  on  April  1,  1902, 
declared  a dividend  of  6 per  cent,  on  the  preferred  stock,  payable  154  per  cent  April  5, 
July  1,  October  1,  and  December  31.  In  June,  1902,  they  also  declared  a dividend  of 
1 per  cent  on  the  common  stock  payable  monthly  on  the  10th  of  each  month  from  June 
10  to  December  to,  1902  It  is  presumed  that  further  dividends  will  be  subject  to  the 
action  of  the  directors. — Cleveland,  Ohio,  Commercial  Bulletin. 


Fourteen  Per  Cent  Annual  Dividend. — The  annual  report  of  the  Peninsular 
Portland  Cement  Co.  was  submitted  bv  General  Manager  W.  F.  Cowham  yesterday, 
and  made  even  a more  satisfactory  showing  than  was  anticipated.  From  the  earnings 
the  past  year  two  dividends  of  7 per  cent  each  were  paid,  July  1st,  1903,  and  January 
1st,  1904,  still  leaving  a substantial  surplus  in  the  treasury.  The  unanimity  of  senti- 
ment manifested  was  a handsome  endorsement  of  the  masterly  management  of  Mr. 
Cowham,  th,-  originator  and  business  head  of  the  great  enterprise  which  has  been 
developed.  Prospects  of  the  company  for  the  year  1904  are  more  favorable  than  ever. 
--Jackson  Evening  Press , Jan.  20,  1904 

Wolverine  Portland  Cement  Company  Making  Money — Earned  Over  $350,000 
Last  Year. — The  Wolverine  Portland  Cement  Co.  is  in  a flourishing  condition,  accord- 
ing to  the  reports  of  insiders.  The  Company  has  spent  $50,000  in  the  improvement  of 
its  plants  during  the  past  year.  “It  has  not  only  done  this,”  said  John  T.  Holmes 
yesterday,  “but  it  will  soon  declare  a dividend  of  between  8 and  10  per  cent.  It  earned 
over  $350,000  and  will  have  a nice  surplus  after  the  dividend  is  paid.”- — Detroit  Tribune, 
November  26,  1902. 

Sale  of  Big  Cement  Plant — The  biggest  cement  deal  in  the  history  of  this 
industry  was  consummated  to-day  in  the  sale  of  the  plant  and  property  of  The  Coplay 
Cement  Company.  The  concern  will  shortly  pass  into  the  hands  of  the  new'  owners, 
who  are  Philadelphia  and  London  capitalists.  The  syndicate  purchased  all  the  stock  of 
the  company.  The  par  value  of  the  latter  is  $50.00  per  share,  and  on  this  the  company 
has  for  some  years  been  paying  an  annual  dividend  of  32  per  cent. — Philadelphia  (Pa.) 
Times,  May,  1900. 

Iola  Portland  Cement  Declares  a Dividend. — The  directors  of  the  Iola  Portland 
Cement  Co.  at  a meeting  held  in  Chicago  declared  a dividend  of  one  per  cent,  a month 
on  the  common  stock,  the  first  payment  to  be  made  in  July.  The  stock  of  the  Company 
:is  largely  held  in  Detroit,  and  has  been  extremely  active  recently  in  anticipation  of  a 
dividend  on  the  common.  The  plant  of  the  Company  is  located  at  Iola,  Ks.,  and 
though  the  officers  are  very  reticent  as  to  the  amount  of  business  being  done  it  is  stated 
that  the  profits  arc  now  exceeding  $100,000  a month. — Free  Press,  June  9,  1903. 

Omega  Cement  Co. — At  the  annual  meeting  of  The  Omega  Cement  Company, 
which  is  located  on  the  line  of  the  Fort  Wayne  and  Jackson  Railroad,  about  twenty 
miles  south  of  this  city,  a splendid  showing  w'as  made  for  last  year.  An  8 per  cent, 
dividend  was  declared,  payable  July  1st,  and  $40,000  wans  added  to  the  surplus  fund. 
With  stock  in  store  and  orders  already  on  the  books,  the  Secretary  figures  upon  an 
additional  $100,000  in  net  profit  during  the  balance  of  the  year.  It  is  asserted  that 
every  Portland  Cement  factory  in  Michigan  has  already  contracted  for  its  output  for  a 
year  to  come  at  a large  advance  over  the  prices  that  prevailed  last  year. — Jackson  Eve- 
ning Press,  April  21,  1903. 


24 


, western  States  E NT ^ 

' M)nl?llANWV  V 


A Phenomenal  Record. — The  National  Portland  Cement  Company  is  turning  out 
the  largest  output  of  any  marl  cement  plant  in  Canada.  1 he  superintendent,  Mr. 
George  McGrane,  who  installed  this  plant,  maintains  that  it  should  turn  out  more 
cement  than  any  plant  of  its  size  in  the  world  on  the  wet  process  system,  and  under 
his  supervision  he  has  actually  demonstrated  that  his  views  were  correct.  The  National 
plant  is  the  leading  brand  of  cement  in  Canada  and  they  have  yet  to  receive  their  first 
complaint  as  to  quality.  The  outlook  for  the  season  of  1906  as  to  quality,  quantity  and 
price  is  exceptionally  bright  and  the  directors  are  looking  forward  with  anticipation  to 
another  profitable  year.  The  bulk  of  the  season’s  output  will  be  disposed  of  to  regular 
customers;  orders  by  wire,  'phone  and  letter  arc  pouring  in  every  day. — Chronicle, 


4-19—5-3-06. 


Successful  Beyond  the  Most  Hopeful  Anticipations. — At  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  International  Portland  Cement  Co.  held  yesterday  great  satisfaction  was  expressed 
at  the  success  of  the  company.  This  was  the  first  annual  report  of  the  company  sub- 
mitted and  showed  net  earnings  of  over  8 per  cent  for  the  first  five  months’  operation 
of  the  plant,  which  was  remarkable  in  tbe  face  of  the  many  difficulties  that  had  been 
encountered. — Ottaxca  Evening  Journal,  Feb.  ig,  igo6. 

Have  Enjoyed  a Prosperous  Year. — The  financial  statement  of  the  Peninsular 
Portland  Cement  Co.  submitted  at  the  stockholders’  meeting  held  to-day  contained 
much  for  the  stockholders  to  be  pleased  with  and  the  following  resolution  was  unani- 
mously adopted  : Resolved,  that  the  stockholders  of  the  Peninsular  Portland  Cement 
Co.,  assembled  in  annual  meeting,  hereby  express  our  thanks  to  President  Cowham 
and  the  Board  of  Directors  for  the  successful  and  profitable  manner  in  which  they  have 
conducted  the  affairs  of  the  Company  during  the  past  year. — Jackson  Morning  Patriot, 
Jan.  17,  igo6. 

It  is  currently  reported  that  the  much  talked  of  plant  of  the  Western  States 
Portland  Cement  Company,  recently  built  by  Messrs.  Cowham  and  McCourtie  at 
Independence.  Kas.,  and  in  which  many  Jackson  people  are  financially  interested,  has 
already  proven  an  immense  success.  Although  the  mill  was  but  recently  put  in  com- 
mission, and  as  yet  but  three-fifths  of  the  plant  has  been  in  operation,  a net  profit  of 
about  $150,000  has  already  been  earned;  nearly  $35,000  net  for  the  month  of  March 
alone  was  recorded.  As  the  plant  will  now  soon  be  running  at  full  capacity,  and  as 
prices  are  just  now  advancing,  occasioned  by  the  beginning  of  the  building  season,  a 
phenomenal  record  is  looked  for  during  the  very  first  year’s  operation  of  this  mill. — 
Jackson  Citizen  Press,  A Jr.  21,  igo6. 


When  it  is  understood  that  many  of  the  factories  referred  to  are  un- 
favorably located,  are  hauling  their  raw  materials  via  rail  many  miles  to  the 
factory,  are  not  equipped  with  the  latest  improved  methods  of  manufacture, 
are  burdened  with  that  great  item  of  expense — excessive  freight  rates  in 
reaching  favorable  markets — and  are  also  laboring  under  other  serious  dis- 
advantages which  will  not  be  encountered  by  the  Northwestern  States 
Portland  Cement  Company,  it  must  certainly  appear  even  to  the  most 
criticising  and  conservative  business  man  that  the  cost  of  manufacture  by 
this  Company  should  be  greatly  reduced,  and  that  it  should  be  able  to  lay 
its  product  down  at  its  market  at  a total  cost  and  expense  that  cannot  be 
duplicated  by  any  other  factory  in  the  country. 

Taking  into  consideration  simply  the  advantageous  location  of  its  raw 
materials,  and  estimating  the  amount  actually  saved  by  its  improved  system 
of  manufacture  (so  perfect  that  the  raw  materials  will  actually  pass 
through  the  entire  process  of  making  without  the  agency  of  human  hands), 
its  cheap  and  abundant  supply  of  fuel,  its  remarkable  shipping  facilities,  its 


[ STERN  Si  AXES 


J 


location  at  the  very  door  of  an  ever-growing  and  locally  unsupplied  market, 
and  its  competent  and  experienced  management,  it  is  impossible  to  figure  the 
profits  of  The  Northwestern  States  Portland  Cement  Company  even 
as  low  as  the  highest  indicated  by  any  of  the  factories  mentioned.  From 
the  foregoing,  and  from  the  most  conservative  estimates  based  on  the  ex- 
perience of  the  American  cement  industry,  this  Company  is  entitled  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  earnings  of  its  improved  plant  at  Mason  City,  Iowa, 
should  be  fully  equal,  if  not  far  in  excess,  of  any  other  mill  of  like  capacity 
in  the  world. 

With  its  many  natural  and  indestructible  advantages,  plant  of  the  very 
best  possible  mechanical  equipment,  and  competent  business  management, 
The  Northwestern  States  Portland  Cement  Company  is  deservedly 
commanding  the  attention  of  the  thoughtful,  conservative  business  man  and 
investor. 

There  is  to-day  no  line  of  investment  that  promises  larger,  more  certain, 
or  more  permanent  returns  on  capital  invested,  nor  one  where  the  absence 
of  all  speculative  features  is  more  marked  than  in  connection  with  the  proper 
and  economical  production  of  a high  grade  Portland  Cement. 


THIS  COMPANY’S  OPPORTUNITY. 


HE  Northwestern  States  Portland  Cement  Company,  in  embark- 


ing  upon  this  enterprise  to  manufacture  a high-grade  Portland  Cem- 
ent to  supply  this  growing  demand,  has  before  it  the  brightest  prospects. 

There  is  no  element  of  speculation  entering  into  this  project.  The 
natural  deposits  at  Mason  City,  Iowa,  are  absolutely  determined  both  in 
quality  and  extent.  Soundings,  core  borings  and  analysis  have  told  the 
story  unmistakably. 

The  location  cannot  be  excelled. 

Fuel — cheap  and  abundant. 

The  markets  are  extensive  and  close  at  hand. 

The  transportation  facilities  are  the  best. 

The  factory  and  machinery  will  be  designed,  installed,  and  operated 
by  men  of  long  practical  experience  in  cement  making. 

P>y  reason  of  the  superior  quality  of  cement  which  it  will  produce,  this 
Company  will  be  able  to  meet  the  most  severe  requirements  of  the  railroad, 
municipal  and  government  engineers,  and  on  account  of  the  large  capacity 
of  its  mills,  it  will  be  further  enabled  to  take  on  the  large  contracts,  which 
are  both  desirable  and  profitable. 

This  Company  is  also  extremely  fortunate  in  having  that  no  less  im- 
portant factor  of  success,  the  competent  and  expert  business  management 
of  men  thoroughly  familiar  with  every  detail  of  the  cement  business. 

There  is  no  prospecting  or  experimenting  to  be  done;  no  chance  to  be 
taken. 

The  success  of  the  enterprise  is  assured. 


26 


.jVVtSTtliN  SlAI 

j4o'!l  ' poRi  i 


- 


t&tjr- ' 


ORGANIZATION  AND  FINANCIAL  PLAN. 

THIS  Company  is  organized  in  connection  with  and  for  the  development 
of  the  valuable  deposits,  described  in  the  foregoing,  located  near  Ma- 
son City,  Iowa,  and  it  is  the  purpose  of  the  Company  to  immediately  erect 
and  put  into  operation  at  this  point  the  best,  the  most  complete,  and  one  of 
the  largest  Portland  Cement  mills  in  the  country. 

The  basis  of  organizaion  is  such  that  $1,750,000  of  7 per  cent  Pre- 
ferred Stock  and  $1,750,000  of  Common  Stock  is  the  total  capitalization  of 
the  Company. 

All  the  stock  of  the  Company  is  issued  fully  paid,  and  non-assessable. 
The  Company  will  issue  its  7 per  cent  Preferred  Stock  as  ordered  from 
time  to  time  by  the  Board  of  Directors. 

The  Preferred  Stock  as  provided  in  the  certificate,  “is  entitled  to  a fixed 
dividend  of  seven  per  cent  per  annum  from  July  1st,  1907,  or  subsequent 
date  of  issue,  payable  annually  and  cumulative  until  said  shares  of  stock  are 
called  for  redemption  : the  whole  or  any  part  thereof  being  redeemable  by 
said  Company  at  its  par  value  with  unpaid  dividends  at  any  time  on  or  after 
July  1st,  19 12,  said  redemption  to  be  made  at  the  time  fixed  for  payment 
of  any  annual  dividend.  The  preference  as  to  stock  and  dividends  extends 
to  the  assets  as  well  as  to  the  earnings  of  said  Company.” 

“The  voting  power  of  the  Preferred  shall  equal  that  of  the  Common 
Stock,  share  for  share.” 

With  each  share  of  Preferred  Stock  one-half  share  of  Common  Stock  is 
given  as  a bonus,  the  remainder  of  the  Common  Stock  being  reserved  for  the 
promoters;  therefore  whenever  the  Preferred  Stock  is  retired  the  subscribers 
thereto  will  have  received  their  principal,  plus  7 per  cent  annual  dividends, 
and  still  hold  Common  Stock  representing  a one-half  ownership  of  all  the 
assets  of  the  Company.  The  purchasers  of  Preferred  Stock  are  thus  also 
given  control  of  the  affairs  of  the  Company  until  the  Preferred  Stock  is 
paid  in  full  and  retired. 

Dividends  on  Common  Shares  will  be  declared  as  warranted  by  the  earn- 
ings, after  making  required  provisions  for  Preferred  shares,  and  provision 
for  such  extensions  of  mills  and  business  as  may,  in  the  judgment  of  the 
Board  of  Directors,  be  of  advantage. 

The  proceeds  of  the  Preferred  Stock  is  estimated  to  be  ample  and  suf- 
ficient to  cover  all  expenses  of  constructing  and  equipping,  with  all  neces- 
sary appliances,  cement  mills  with  a daily  capacity  of  2500  barrels,  and  also 
to  provide  a working  capital. 

The  management  will  be  under  the  control  of  experienced  cement  man- 
ufacturers and  men  well  known  in  financial  and  business  circles,  whose  con- 
nection with  the  enterprise  establishes  its  position  and  assures  its  success. 


S«C* 


C r ANoncws 


A C STlCM  T«  • 


STCINMCTZ 


Western  States  Portland  Cement  Co. 


AOO«CSS  ALL  BUSINESS  COMMUNICATIONS  TO  TH£  COM 


Independence. Kans.  Apr.  25,  1906 


Northwestern  States  Portland  Cement  Company, 

Mason  City,  Iowa. 

Gentlemen 

The  various  tests  of  your  materials  , sent  from  Mason  City,  Iowa,  are  now  complete, 
and  I herewith  submit  the  report  of  my  examinations  as  to  their  suitability  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  Portland  cement.  The  samples  analyzed  were  from  a great  number  of  test 
borings  made  in  regular  order  over  all  parts  of  the  deposits.  These  samples,  both  lime- 
stone and  clay,  show  remarkable  uniformity  of  composition  and  freedom  from  dangerous  in- 
gredients that  would  be  prejudicial  to  the  production  of  a Portland  cement  of  the  first 
quality.  The  requirements  are  extremely  rigid  for  high  grade  cement  materials,  and 
such  materials  are  rarely  discovered  in  deposits  lying  so  closely  together  and  at  the 
same  time  conveniently  situated  with  regard  to  a vast  market  and  excellent  transporta- 
tion facilities  as  are  your  deposits  at  Mason  City. 

The  following  are  analyses  representative  of  the  composition  of  the  limestone  and  clays 
Lab.  No. 127  Limestone  Lab.  No. 133  Clay  (A)  Lab.  No. 146  Clav  (B) 

Silica  (Si  Q;) 1.12^  - -- 52. 56^  - - 72.22^ 

Alumina  (Al^O,)  - --  - .46  18.86  14.13 

Oxide  of  Iron  (Fe^OJ  - - .32  ---------  4.60  --------  3.81 

Oxide  of  Lime  ( Ca  0)  - 54.60  (Carbonate  97. Z%)  4.88  --------  2.00 

Magnesia  (Mg  0)  - - - - .49  ---------  .93  --------  1.05 

Carbond  Dioxide  (C  04)  - 42.70(Loss  by  ignition ) 13 . 54  - --  --  --  - 6.46 

Alkalies  & Undetermined  .31  ---------  4.63  --------  .33 

100 .00%  100 .00%  100 .60% 

As  previously  reported,  clay  (a)  and  clay  (b)  mixed  in  equal  proportions  will 
give  a composition  regarded  as  ideal  by  experienced  cement  chemists.  Clay  of  such  a 
character  mixed  according  to  chemical  laws  with  the  limestone  of  the  above  composition 
and  carried  through  the  various  manufacturing  processes  with  approved  machinery  under 
intelligent  supervision  will  produce  a Portland  cement  unsurpassed  by  any  in  the  world. 
This  statement  is  not  made  unadvisedly.  In  order  to  substantiate  the  theoretical  con- 
clusions the  following  experiments  were  carried  out. 

The  clays  and  limestone  were  mixed  as  above  stated,  ground  to  the  regulation 
fineness  in  the  laboratory  tube  mill  and  burned  at  proper  temperature  in  a small  labora- 
tory kiln.  The  resulting  clinker,  which  was  of  excellent  appearance,  was  ground  so  that 
96^  of  the  resulting  cement  would  pass  a 100  mesh  sieve.  This  cement,  tested  according 
to  the  Standard  Methods  of  the  American  Society  for  testing  materials,  showed  the  fol- 
lowing characteristics: 

Fineness . 

Passing  100  mesh  sieve  ------  96% 

" 200  " " ------  82^ 

Setting  Time . 

Initial  set  -----  2 hrs . 20  min. 

Final  set  ------  5"  30" 

Constancy  of  Volumn  Tests. 

Air  Pats  - - - o.K.  Steam  test  - - - O.K. 

Cold  Water  - - O.K.  Boiling  Water)  ) O.K. 

Tensile  Strength,  (in  pounds  per  sq.in.) 

24hrs.  7 days 

Neat  cement  -----  340#  -----  673# 

Sand  3,  cement  1-------'---  - 316# 

I am  sending  you  under  separate  cover  a sample  of  the  cement  which  you  will 
observe  has  the  rich  steely  lustre  indicating  the  highest  quality  of  Portland  cement. 

With  materials  of  the  above  composition  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  duplicating,  on  a 
manufacturing  scale,  the  results  obtained  in  the  laboratory. 

In  the  course  of  my  work,  as  a cement  expert,  I have  had  occasion  to  examine 

a large  number  of  cement  propositions  and  have  been  obliged  to  report  unfavorably  upon 

~the.  greater  number  oi1  them,  but  in  all  my  experience  I have  never  had,  the  pleasure  of 

examining  materials  better  suited  for  the  manufacture  of  Portland  cement  than  those 

from  Mason  City,  and  I congratulate  you  accordingly  on  possessing  probably  one  of  the 

beat  deposits  or  raw  materials  in  existence. 

Yours  very  truly, 


V B.S . 

Director  of  the  Laboratory. 


ion  Portland  Cement  Company 

OrnCE  AND  WORKS 

Hush  syl\ania,Oiu  o . 


March  30,  1906. 

Mr.  E.  J.  Breen, 

Fort  Dodge,  Iowa. 

Dear  Sir': 

As  per  your  request  I herewith  submit  a general  report  of  my  investigation  of  the 
properties  of  the  Northwestern  States  Portland  Cement  Co.  at  Mason  City,  la.  In  this 
connection  I have  to  say  that  the  results  of  my  investigation,  which  include  both  a 
personal  inspection  of  the  properties  mentioned,  chemical  analyses  of  materials,  etc., 
and  a careful  and  exhaustive  examination  of  every  detail,  prove  conclusively  the  exist- 
ence of  an  unlimited  supply  of  materials  of  unquestionable  quality  and  remarkable  uni- 
foraity--in  fact,  it  is  unusual  to  find  such  regularity  in  composition  throughout. 

The  color  of  the  limerock  is  light,  and  its  physical  properties  are  excellent. 

It  is  easily  drilled,  and  when  blasted  it  fractures  along  both  horizontal  and  parallel 
lines,  making  it  very  easily  and  cheaply  handled.  The  stone  comes  to  the  surface  and 
can  be  quarried  without  stripping,  a fact  very  important  in  the  economic  manufacture  of 
Portland  cement.  The  shales  are  found  in  unlimited  quantities  nearby  so  that  the  two 
materials  may  be  handled  very  economically.  The  physical  properties  of  these  shales 
are  excellent  and  they  are  well  suited  for  cement  purposes,  From  a proper  combination 
of  these  raw  materials,  a cement  should  be  manufactured  equal  in  quality  to  any  produc- 
ed in  the  world. 

Your  cement  factory  at  Mason  City  offers  unusual  advantages  over  the  average  plant, 

viz . : 

First--  Mason  City  furnishes  unusual  shipping  advantages,  four  of  the  large 
Trunk  Lines  of  the  State  passing  through  it,  with  a fifth  projected,  reaching  all  parts 
of  the  North  and  Northwest,  thus  insuring  a quick  and  uninterrupted  delivery  of  the  pro- 
duct to  the  market  at  all  times.  At  no  other  point  in  the  State  of  Iowa  is  it  possi- 
ble to  find  raw  materials  available  with  equal  shipping  facilltiesT 
Second--  the  R.  R.  rate  laws”  of  the  State  of  Iowa  (there  being  a local  tariff  for  each 
R.  R.  traversed)  are  such  that  straight  hauls,  with  few  changes,  are  necessary  to  mark- 
et the  product  cheaply;  in  this,  Mason  City  has  a decided  advantage  over  any  other  lo- 
cation possible,  and  this  advantage  alone  should  insure  the  success  of  your  concern  lo- 
cated at  this  point. 

Third--  Cheap  and  easily  obtained  fuel:  in  the  manufacture  of  Portland  cement  the 
item  of  fuel  is  highly  important  and  this  particular  location  is  especially  advantageous 
since  it  possesses  two  Trunk  Line  Railroads  running  directly  from  the  mines  to  the  ce- 
ment plant--thus  insuring  to  this  point  a constant  supply  of  fuel  at  minimum  cost. 

Fourth--  The  demand  for  cement  in  the  constantly  growing  Northwest  is  phenomenal, 
and  as  there  is  but  a very  small  percentage  of  the  cement  used  in  this  country  manufact- 
ured west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  as  there  are  no  mills  whatever  located  in  the 
territory  naturally  tributary  to  Mason  City,  the  disposition  of  the  product  of  your  con- 
cern at  that  point  should  be  an  easy  proposition,  and  because  of  the  decided  advantage 
in  both  transportation  and  freight  rates  above  mentioned,  the  highest  price  for  the 
product  should  be  easily  secured. 

Fifth--  A fine  site  for  the  plant  itself,  making  it  possible  to  lay  out,  design, 
and  construct  a mill  in  such  a manner  that  the  materials  may  be  conveniently  and  easily 
handled,  all  of  which  tends  to  materially  lessen  the  cost  of  production  of  the  finish- 
ed cement. 

Sixth--  Three  of  the  great  Trunk  Line  Rys . running  directly  through  your  proper- 
ty makes  it  possible  for  your  plant  to  be  directly  connected  with  these  railways  at 
slight  expense,  and  saves  to  your  Company  many  thousands  of  dollars  annually  in  R.  R. 
switching  charges  alone,  besides  enabling  you  to  get  your  product  directly  and  quickly 
upon  the  market  and  without  possibility  of  delay.  There  is  no  other  location  possible 
in  this  section  having  any  such  R.  R.  connection  advantages . 

From  my  investigation  (a  diligent  search  having  been  made  throughout  practically 
the  entire  State,  in  which  much  time  and  money  were  spent  prospecting,  core  drilling, 

collecting  samples,  and  making  analyses  in  a systematic  and,  thorough  effort  to  find  the 

proper  materials  accessible  in  a sul table (location)  I have  no  hesitancy  in  pronouncing 

our  cement  plant  at  Mason  City  the  very  best  proposition  to  be  found  in  the  State  of 

owa- -having  all  the  advantages  and  none  of  the  disadvantages  common  to  cement  plantg-- 

and  a mill  of  sufficient  size,  properly  erected  and  equipped  should  certainly  prove  a 
success . 

Yours  very  respectfully, 


Chief  Chemist  and  Superintendent, 


20 


Union  Portland  Cement  Co. 


STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY  OF  KANSAS 


11095 


ERASMUS  HAWORTH,  The  University  of  Kansas, 

STATE  GCOLOQI8T 

LAWRENCE.  MAT  Ch  17,  1906. 


Mr.  E.  J.  Breen, 

Port  Dodge,  Iowa. 

My  dear  Sir: 

Recently  at  the  request  of  eastern  capitalists  I investigated 
the  state  of  Iowa  in  order  to  find  the  hest  location  in  the  state 
for  a Portland  Cement  Plant.  In  this  work  I have  scanned  the  en- 
tire state.  Having  lived  in  Iowa  a number  of  years,  and  also  hav- 
ing done  considerable  geological  work  in  the  state,  I was  already 
.quite  familiar  with  the  geology,  and  consequently  was  greatly  as- 
sisted in  the  work  before  me  by  such  knowledge.  I made  use  of  all 
the  published  geological  reports  of  the  state,  and  in  order  still 
better  to  serve  the  cause  in  the  best  manner  possible,  I associat- 
ed with  Prof.  S.  W.  Beyer  of  the  Iowa  State  College  at  Ames^  Prof. 
Beyer  is  a geologist  who  has  done  a great  deal  of  work  for  the  Iowa 
State  Geological  Survey,  and  who  is  now  making  a particular  study 
of  Iowa  material  suitable  for  manufacturing  Portland  cement. 

After  having  gone  over  the  entire  state  in  the  manner 
above  referred  to,  and  with  the  assistance  of  Prof.  Beyer,  as  stat-« 
ed,  I -finally  chose  Mason  City  as  combining  more  nearly  all  the  de- 
sirable properties  for  the  location  of  a great  Portland  Cement  Plant 
This  conclusion  was  not  reached  hurriedly  nor  without  a great  deal 
of  investigation.  A number  of  points  in  the  state  were  found  which 
offered  some  of  the  desirable  qualities,  but  no  other  place  where 
so  large  a number  were  found  fortunately  grouped  together.  One  of 
the  great  difficulties  in  Iowa  is  the  excessively  large  overburden 
of  glacial  drift  material.  Doubtless  many  places  exist  where  first 
class  limestone  and  shale  are  in  juxtapositions  j but  which  are  en- 
tirely covered  with  a heavy  overburden  of  glacial  material  making 
them  impossible  of  access. 

Mason  City  is  the  only  place  found  where  both  shale  and 
limestone  occur  close  together  and  in  proper  quality  and  quantity 

free  from  the  glacial  overburden.  Here  we  have  hundreds  of  acres 

of  limestone  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  feet  thick  with  no  objection- 
able overburden  whatever.  A slight  covering  of  soil  exists  here 
and  there  on  top  of  the  limestone,  but  the  soil  itself  is  exactly 
what  is  wanted,  as  it  may  be  used  entirely  to  mix  with  the  shale. 
Shale  is  found  in  abundance  right  by  the  limestone  so  the  two  may  be 
very  economically  handled,  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

By  combining  these  two  materials  in  a proper  manner  we  can 
obtain  an  ideal  mix  for  making  Portland  Cement;  in  fact  none  better 
can  be  found  in  the  world.  . 

I need  hardly  write  you  about  Mason  City  as  a desirable 
railroad  center,  nor" of  Mason  City  as  a proper  geological  location. 
Your  knowledge  of  the  Portland  cement  industry  is  sufficient  to  show 
you  that  this  is  a most  fortunate  location.  Plants  already  built 
lie  to  the  east  and  south,  while  there  is  an  enormous  consumption 
of  cement  to  the  north  and  west,  which  territory  naturally  will  be- 
long to  this  plant.  Had  I studied  railroad  and  commercial  maps 
alone  in  the  selection" of  a point,  I could  have  done  no  better  than 

to  go  to'  Mason  "City.  When  we  add  to  this  the  large  amount  o^.. ex- 

ceedingly desirable  material  so  easy  of  access  as  above  explained, 
it  makes  this  location  superior  to  any  other  that  might  be  chosen 
anywhere  in  this  Northwestern  territory. 

Yours  very  truly, 


o 


/ 


Department  of  (geology  anb  JTTinitu 


Cbc  State  Unioersity  of  3owa 


^ron  h A.  IDilSer,  « 'anomic  vSfofoyy  ant)  mineralogy 
itjartes  £.  Sajiicn,  mining  n.t>  mnaiinrja 
pout  Oinjer,  fi-iiol.it 
>n  ues  CM,  .^ssisfant 
>£jrl  K feiOel,  Assistant 

3otm  ‘iari'ille.  pi-oicjinphtc  Assisiani  April  5,  1906. 


Mr,  E.  J,  Breen, 


Fort  Dodge,  la. 


Dear  Sir: 

I personally  made  a geological  survey  of  Cerro  Gordo  county  in 
1896,  and  am  familiar  with  the  great  body  of  non-raagnesian  lime- 
stone which  underlies  the  land  owned  by  your  company  and  which  by 
reason  of  new  methods  and  new  machinery  unknown  at  the  time  the  sur- 
vey was  made,  has  since  become  of  very  great  commercial  importance 
in  the  manufacture  of  Portland  cement.  The  rock  in  question  is 
practically  a pure  carbonate  of  lime. 

I have  later  made  a more  specific  examination  of  the  tract  of 
land  on  which  it  is  the  purpose  of  your  company  to  operate,  and 
oan  say  that  the  limestone  in  question  covers  it  all  to  a thickness 
of  twenty  or  thirty  feet  or  more  and  that  the  overburden  of  drdflt,, 
which  will  require  stripping,  is  almost  nil.  The  clays  of  the 
Lime  creek  shales  are  here,  like  the  limestone,  practically  in- 
exhaustible in  amount.  Geologically,  the  location  you  have  chosen 
could  not  well  be  improved. 

With  highest  hopes  of  the  success  of  your  enterprise,  I am, 


Yours  very  truly 


31 


ft  W . BtYER 


C.  C QuOBEE 

I A WILLIAMS 


Iowa  State  College 

DEPARTMENT  OF 

GEOLOGY  AND  MINING  ENGINEERING 
Ames,  I owa 


March  20,  1906. 


Mr.  E.  J.  Breen, 

Eort  Dodge,  Iowa. 

My  dear  Sir: 

Complying  with  your  request  for  information 
concerning  the  advantages  of  Mason  City,  Iowa,  for  the  loca- 
tion of  a Portland  Cement  Plant,  permit  me  to  say  that  in  my 
judgement  the  location  more  nearly  meets  all  the  requirements 
for  a successful  plant  in  the  superlative  degree  than  any 
other  point  in  the  state. 

It  is  generally  conceded  that  the  most  important 
factors  which  contribute  to  the  success  of  a Portland  Cement 
Plant  are:  suitable  raw  material  easily  accessible;  cheap 
fuel  not  only  for  power  but  suitable  for  burning  the  product; 
good  transportation  facilities;  good  market  for  the  finished 
product . 

Briefly  considering  the  controlling  factors  in 
their  order,  these  are  the  conclusions:  Limestone,  almost 
pure  and  ranging  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  feet  in  thick- 
ness occurs  along  Lime  Creek  and  lies  safely  above  the  water 
line  with  almost  no  stripping  over  it.  Chemical  analyses 
show  that  the  magnesium  oxide  present  averages  less  than  one 
percent  and  scarcely  a trace  of  sulphur  is  present.  Twenty 
to  forty  feet  of  plastic  shale  is  easily  available  and  suit- 
ably located  to  load  with  the  steam  3hovel.  The  shale 
carries  some  magnesia  but  when  blended  with  the  limestone  in 
the  proper  proportion  for  cement  is  well  within  the  safety 
limit . 

Two  lines  of  railway  directly  connect  the  city 
with  the  principal  coal  field  of  the  state.  All  of  the 
mines  of  this  field  "shoot  from  the  solid",  thus  affording 
abundant  supply  of  slack  and  steam  coal  at  minimum  cost. 

Four  leading  lines  of  railway  with  a fifth  assur- 
ed, and  an  interurban  line  give  the  city  unrivalled  railway 
facilities.  Last  and  not  least  Mason  City  occupies  a strat- 
egic position  geographically.  An  up-to-date  Portland  Cement 
Plant  at  this  point  would  be  in  position  to  control  the  ce- 
ment trade  well  into  the  British  Dominion  to  the  north  and 
west  to  the  Missouri  river,  in  addition  to  the  Iowa  field.  I 
thoroughly  believe  that  now  is  a most  opportune  time  and 
Mason  City  is  the  place  to  establish  such  a plant. 

I shall  be  pleased  to  give  you  any  other  informa- 
tion I can. 


Yours  very  truly, 


T 6.  SAVAGE 


STATE  OF  IOWA 

IOWA  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 
Frank  a.  Wiioea.  Director 


asst.  State  Geolooibt 
NELLIE  E.  NEWMAN 

Secretary 

•owao.ty  March  22,  J90G. 

Mr.  E.  J.  Breen, 

Fort  Dodge,  Iowa. 

Dear  Sir:- 

Prof.  Beyer,  who  is  acting  in  behalf  of  the  Iowa 
State  Geological  Survey  in  studying  the  chemical  pro- 
perties of  the  limestones  and  shales  of  Iowa  with  re- 
ference to  their  fitness  for  Portland  cement,  has  placed 
in  your  hands  a statement  in  regard  to  the  cement  making 
materials  at  Mason  City,  Iowa.  I take  pleasure  in  say- 
ing that  the  Iowa  Geological  Survey  is  prepared  to  sup- 
port the  statements  made  by  its  representative , Mr. 

Beyer.  The  samples  that  he  has  taken  for  analysis  were 
collected  fairly  and  without  prejudice  of  any  sort  and 
represent  correctly  the  great  body  of  material  that  a 
oement  mill  at  Mason  City  may  count  on  for  decades. 

I am  personally  familiar  with  the  tract  that 
has  been  chosen  for  the  cement  mill  at  Mason  City.  The 
rock  is  practically  at  the  surface,  the  beds  are  very 
extensive,  and  the  rock  easily  quarried.  Coal  is 
brought  to  Mason  City  at  a low  cost,  and  the  city  is 
well  situated  with  reference  to  a market  for  oement. 

There  is  no  point  in  Iowa  where  a cement  mill  will  con- 

trol a more  important  area. 

Sincerely, 

^2- 

Director  IOWA  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


This  cut  is  a reproduction  of  photograph  taken  he.side  the  hopper  bottom  concrete  clay  storage  building  at  the  great  works  of  the  Western  States  Portland 
Cement  Company  at  Independence,  Kansas,  on  May  2nd.  1906.  Included  in  the  party  are  many  bankers,  lumbermen  and  representative  business  men  of  Minne- 
sota and  Iowa,  together  with  many  of  the  stockholders  of  this  company,  all  of  whom  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  investigating  the  mammoth  plant  of  the 
Western  States  Portland  Cement  Company,  and  in  this  manner  secure  a tangible  idea  of  t lie  magnitude  and  superior  class  of  equipment,  and  see  for  themselves 
the  very  best  there  is  in  Portland  Cement  manufacture. 


Kansas  City,  Mo.,  May  2nd,  1906 


"Northwestern  States  Portland  Cement  Co., 

Mason  City,  Iowa. 


Gent  lemen  :- 

Having  taken  advantage  of  'the  opportunity  to  visit  and 
make  a personal  inspection  and  thorough  invest igat ion  of  the  mam- 
moth w.orks  of  the  Western  States  Portland  Cement  Co.  located  at 
Independence,  Kansas,  which  plant  bears  the  reputation  of  being 
one  of  the  finest  cement  mills  in  the  world  and  a duplicate  of 
which  it  is  proposed  to  construct  at  Mason  City,  la.,  we  beg  to 
make  the  following  report  for  the  benefit  of  others  who  may  desire 
to  become  interested  in  your  company*. 

The  magnitude  and  extent  of  the  plant  is  surprising  and  start 
ling.  It  is  modern  in  every  detail,  built  most  substantially 
throughout,  and  while  its  estimated  capacity  was  2,500  bbls  . per 
day,  we  are  informed  its  possible  working  capacity  is  considerably 
more  than  that  amount.  The  factory  buildings,  concrete  steel 
structures*  throughout  making  them  absolutely  fire  proof,  together 
with  the  necessary  out-buildings  cover  an  area  of  about  25  acres 
of  land,  and  are  models  of  convenience,  perfectly  arranged  and  are 
equipped  with  the  strongest  and  best  types  of  machinery,  .specially 
designed  for  this  plant . The  entire  equipment  certainly  bears 
evidence  of  being  the  finest  product  of  the  best  mechanical  and 
engineering  skill  now  engaged  in  that  line  of  work  and  we  are  in- 
formed and  believe  from  what  we  know  of  the  business,  the  machin- 
ery and  equipment  throughout  in  this  mill  to  be  of  better  design, 
more  substantial  and  superior  in  every  detail  to  that  ever  before 
Installed  in  a cement  plant.  The  whole  works  are  propelled  by 
electric  motors,  situated  in  convenient  places  throughout  the 
plant,  and  the  mill  is  lighted  inside  and  out  by  electricity. 

A notable  feature  is  the  double  sysfem  installed  throughout 
the  entire  plant.  Everything  seems  to  be  so  arranged  as  to  avoid 
any  possibility  of  a complete  shut  down  --  duplicate  machinery 
being  installed  throughout,  to  be  used  in  case  of  accident  and 
repairs  and  by  reason  of  which  it  appears  quite  possible  f or  a 
plant  of  this  design  to  operate  every  day  in  the  year.  We  find 
that  these  works  are  so  designed  and  constructed  that  the  machin- 
ery practically  takes  the  raw  materials  from  their  natural  rest- 
ing places  and  carries  them  through  the  entire  process  of  manufac- 
ture, converting  them  into  high  grade-  Portland  Cement  at  the  mouth 
of  the  barrel  or  sack  in  which  it  is  to  be  shipped  without  -the  aid 
of  human  hands 

The  whole  factory  is  a model  of  beauty  and  stability,  it  is 
not  built  temporarily,  but  permanently  and  for  all  time,  and  is 
being  most  perfectly,  successfully,  and  profitably  operated  by 
master  hands,  and  is  without  doubt  the  most  modern  and  best  equip- 
ped cement  plant  in  existence.  Those  interested  in  your  company* 
can  surely  congratulate  themselves  upon  having  located  at  Mason 
City  such  a model  factory  for  this  new,  growing  and  substantial 
industry  and  a plant  which  we  believe  will  produce  the  finest 
possible  quality  of  Portland  Cement  at  a minimum  cost. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Thr  above  is  a / eproduction  of  /otter  signed  by  each  indiv  idual  memln  r of  the  investigating  party  .'//<>..  n m photoy  / ap/i  <>n 
opposite  page.  This  letter  was  tendered  by  unanimous  resolution  and  presented  to  this  company  as  a handsome  endorsement  of  the 
superior  class  of  equipment  which  is  to  be  installed  in  its  great  works  at  Mason  City , Iowa. 


35 


Strongest  organization  for  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  high-grade  Portland  Cement  in  America. 


Cowham  System  of  Mills  Core-Boring  Machine  in  Operation. 

material  at  various  depths,  for  chemical  analysis.  By  this  method  the  extent  and  uniform 
raw  materials  are  absolutely  determined. 


Bird's-Eye  view  of  the  great  works  of  the  Peninsular  Portland  Cement  Company. 

The  parent  factory  of  the  Cowham  system  of  Portland  Cement  mills— strongest  organization  for  the  manufacture  and  sale 
of  high-grade  Portland  Cement  in  America.  The  record  of  this  plant  is  unparalled  in  the  history 
of  the  Portland  Cement  industry. 


PENI  NSULAR 


WORLD’S  GREATEST  CEMENT  FACTORY. 


f From  the  Daily  Patriot,  Jackson , Mich.,  December  2S,  1902. ) 


HE  plant  of  the  Peninsular  Portland  Cement  Co.,  of  this  city,  is  recog- 


1 nized  to  be  the  most  modern  and  best  equipped  Portland  Cement  fac 
tory  in  the  world,  and  the  results  of  its  operations  have  more  than 
justified  every  prediction  of  its  designers  and  builders.  From  the  day  when 
the  wheels  were  first  put  in  motion,  the  mill  has  not  shut  down  one  minute 
while  the  raw  material,  by  this  latest  system  of  cement  making  has,  day 
and  night,  been  taken  from  its  natural  resting  place  and  carried  through 
the  intricate  process  of  cement  making  until  it  fell  into  the  bins  in  the 'form 
of  commercial  cement,  all  without  the  agency  of  human  hands.  Days, 
nights  and  Sundays  it  has  run  to  its  fullest  capacity,  veritably  coining  dol- 
lars out  of  raw  materials  which  were  long  supposed  to  be  worse  than  use- 
less, and  it  has  been  utterly  unable  to  fill  the  orders  which  have  come  to  it 
unsolicited. 

The  fact  that  not  a sack  of  this  cement,  to  say  nothing  of  a carload,  has 
ever  been  rejected  or  returned,  and  that  the  Cement  City  mill,  with  its  su- 
perior process  of  manufacture,  is  utterly  unable  to  fill  its  orders,  demon- 
strates better  than  any  words  could  the  success  of  the  project  which  is  oi 
so  much  importance  to  this  city.  It  is  a monument  to  the  excellent  judg- 
ment of  the  gentlemen  who  originated  this  enterprise. 

The  Portland  Cement  industry  has  passed  the  experimental  stages, 
and  the  great  success  of  the  enterprise  at  Cement  City,  demonstrates  be- 
yond question  that  the  industry  should  be  founded  on  strong  financial  lines, 
and  that  the  selection  of  raw  materials,  and  the  designing,  building  and  op- 
erating of  Portland  Cement  factories  should  be  intrusted  only  to  men  of  un- 
questionable ability,  and  practical  experience  in  cement  making. 


41 


Great  Plant  of  the  National  Portland  Cement  Company. 

(Cowham  System) 

Experts  concede  it  to  be  the  very  latest  improved  and  best  equipped  Portland  Cement  factory  in  America.  It  must  be  seen  to  be  appreciated. 


Two  of  Mammoth  Rotaries  on  their  Mountings. 

Rotaries,  gearing,  etc.,  all  specially  designed  and  constructed.  These  rotaries  are  electrically  driven,  independent  ot  each  other,  and  aie  cone 

most  efficient  equipment  ever  installed  in  a Portland  Cement  factory. 


Prof.  Robertson, 

Commissioner  of  Agriculture  for  the  Dominion  of  Canada. 


71. e National  Portland  Cement  Co., 
Toronto, 

Ont. 


Pear  Sirs. 

On  behalf  of  the  Directors  of  the  Toronto  Industrial -Exhib- 
ition, we  teg  to  convey  to  you  a high  appreciation  of  the  splendid 
■..•orK  your  company  has  p>-r formed  in  the  erection  of  our  new  Dairy 
Euilding  Knowing  as  v/e  do  the  almost  insurmountable  obstacles  which 
you  had  to  overcome  in  erecting  this  building,  we  feel  that  it  would 
be  unjust  on  our  part  did  we  not  convey  to  you  our  high  sense  of 
the  obligation  under  which  you  have  placed  our  Association. 

You  will  hear  from  our  Secretary  later  on  that  we  have 
awarded  your  company  a gold  raenal  as  a slight  recognition  of  its 
services,  as  well  as  to  the  excellence  of  the  construction  of  the 
building  for  which  you  have  the  contract. 

wishing  your  company  a long  and  prosperous  career  and 
trusting  that  the  beautiful  building  that  you  have  erected  upon  our 
grounds  nay  long  remain  as  a living  advertisement  of  your  powers  of 
manufacturing  artificial  stone. 

I am  with  best  wisneo. 


’■'cry  truly  yourn,  _ /j 

7'/'  '.ItUv-t-'i 

“president . / 


(Cowham  System) 

This  plant  is  of  the  very  latest  design  and  equipment  throughout. 


Cut  Showing  the  Plant  ol  The  International  Portland  Cement  Co. 

(Cowham  System) 

Modern  in  Every  Detail. 


The  machinery,  designed  and  installed  by  master  hands, 


Some  of  the  mammoth  machinery  during  process  of  installation  in  the  great  works  of  the 
Western  States  Portland  Cement  Company. 

These  works  are  of  special  design  throughout  and  this  plant  is  recognized  as  the  leading  and  best  equipped 
cement  mill  in  the  world.  Although  this  plant  has  been  in  operation  but  a short  time  its  product  is  already  recognized 
as  the  superior  and  leading  brand  and  is  given  preference  over  other  cements  in  its  market — commanding  the"  very 
highest  prices,  while  its  cost  of  production,  because  of  superior  equipment,  is  considerably  less  than  that  of  any  other 
cement  mill  in  the  world.  Not  only  is  the  machinery  in  this  mill  of  superior  quality  and  design,  but  the  plant  through- 
out is  also  built,  with  the  view  of"  permanency — thus  eliminating  a great  amount  of  maintenance  expense  incident  to  the 
usual  cheaply  constructed  cement  plant.  The  equipment  of  the  Noutm wkstkux  Status  Point. .wp  ckjient  Compvxv 
will  lie  designed  by  the  same  master  hands  and  no  effort  will  bo  spared  to  install  the  most  complete  and  perfect  cement 
mill  ever  constructed  and  one  which  will  produce  the  highest  grade  of  Portland  Cement  for  the  least  possible  cost 


Mason  C.ty,  Hie  principal  metropolis  of  Northern  Iowa,  (lie  county  seat  of  Cerro  Gordo  Countv,  Iowa,  has  a population 
of  lo. "ini  ; irec  mall  delivery;  eight  rural  mail  routes:  two  large  and  commodious  hotels  worth  .$150,000;  paved  streets; 
municipal  water  works  with  purest  water  from  deep  wells:  flue  electric  lighting  system;  city  heating  plant;  $90,000  court 
house  : smi, poo  high  school:  five  large  ward  public  schools  buildings:  $100,000  live  story  office  block;  $50,000  opera  house: 
splendid  system  of  sewerage,  the  only  self  hushing  system  in  Iowa:  Masonic  Temple  and  Odd  Fellow  Temple;  headquarters 
i herlmod  of  America  with  1 on. ooo  members : large  pork  packing  plant:  large  cold  storage  plant-  four  "Teat 
two  National  Hanks  with  deposits  of  $:{,  000.000 : line  free  public  Library  Building;  New ’Government 
erected:  four  immense  brick  and  tile  plants  Including  vitrified  sewer  pipe  plant:  paid  fire  department; 

: wholesale  grocery  house : National  Memorial  1'niversity  : foundry  and  machine  shops' 
air  produce  commission  houses:  division  headquarters  of  the  C.  M.  & St.  I',  and  C.  & N.  W.  I{.  R.'s,  with 
and  shops;  manufactures  of  brooms,  gloves,  pipe  organs,  carriages,  cigars,  etc.:  thirteen  churches'-  two 
fine  electric  street  K U system  with  Inter  urban  system  connecting  with  Clear  Lake,  the  popular  summer 


hu 


< U )(  M ) 

system  < 
the  Modern  Rr« 
toms  of  railways; 
klinpr  about  to  he 
* planing  mills  : one  Houring 


» creameries  ; 
Ir  round  lions 
ly  newspnpei 
Ol‘t  of  I own. 


Hotel  Charles.  MASON  CITY.  IOWA.  Hotel  Wilson- 

Public  Library.  Business  Block.  Cerro  Gordo  County  Court  House. 


51 


APPENDIX. 


ISTORY  chronicles  vaguely  the  events  of  a period 
known  as  the  “Stone  Age,"  when  men  wrought 
with  the  crudest  of  implements  and  eked  out  the 
merest  sort  of  existence.  But  man's  necessity 
made  him  progressive  and  his  cunning  taught  him  to  devise 
better  instruments  of  “Bronze”  with  which  to  serve  his 
purpose,  only  to  find  them  in  turn  inferior  to  the  improved 
work  of  his  son  in  the  “Iron  Age." 

Each  plays  its  part  in  the  economy  of  Nature,  then 
vields  place  to  its  betters,  and  the  Stone  Age,  the  Bronze 
Age,  the  Iron  Age  retire,  yielding  the  palm  to  the  Imperial 
Age  of  Cement. 

No  product  in  the  world  has  a wider  application  to  use- 
ful purposes  than  Portland  Cement.  Men  who  know  its 
worth  realize  that  it  is  the  only  absolute  fire-proof  building 
material  in  the  world.  In  this  respect  brick,  terra  cotta, 
iron,  and  granite  all  suffer  markedly  by  comparison  with  it. 

It  is  the  ideal  building  material  in  bridge  construction, 
whether  for  strength,  form,  beauty  or  durability.  There  has 
never  been  found  a paving  material  on  earth  ecp.ial  to  Port- 
land Cement  concrete  whether  for  side-walks,  street-beds,  or 
roadways.  In  house  building  there  is  hardly  an  article  used 
that  cannot  he  made  stronger  and  more  durable  out  of  Port- 
land Cement  than  out  of  any  other  known  material. 

Progress  is  the  watch-word  of  the  twentieth  century. 
And  it  is  with  this  thought  in  mind  that  we  present  the  fol- 
lowing pages  showing  the  progress  recently  made  in  the 
cement  business,  and  the  present  advanced  ideas  on  cement 
constructive  work.  Our  purpose  here  is  to  show  something 
of  what  has  been  done,  and  to  afford  material  for  thought  as 
to  what  can  he  done  in  future  with  Portland  Cement 


Portland  Cement  to  supersede  our 
LIMITED  IRON  ORE  RESOURCES. 


THE  iron  ore  resources  of  the  United  States  will  be  exhausted  in  fifty 
years  according  to  statistics  compiled  for  the  Swedish  Parliament, 
while  the  Misaba  range  iron  ore  deposits  will  be  depleted  in  twenty-five 
years.  What  then?  Where  shall  we  turn  for  materials  for  construction? 
The  timber  resources  of  the  country  are  already  on  the  decline.  Longer 
hauls  and  higher  prices  confront  the  consumer  of  to-day.  We  have  used 
our  iron  and  timber  resources  as  if  they  were  inexhaustible.  Our  great 
railways  are  taking  time  by  the  forelock  by  planting  timber  forests  that  will 
serve  for  replacing  ties  on  their  right  of  way.  The  government  is  promot' 
ing  timber  planting.  In  Europe,  especially  in  Germany,  this  question  has 
been  carefully  considered.  For  the  past  75  years  laws  have  been  in  force 
compelling  every  person  cutting  down  a tree  to  plant  two  in  its  stead.  The 
German  forest  areas  are  on  the  increase  instead  of  decline.  No  such  syste- 
matic effort  can  replace  our  iron  resources,  therefore  we  must  look  else- 
where for  a substitute  for  iron  and  steel.  This  substitute  is  concrete.  The 
depleting  of  our  iron  resources  means  the  ushering  in  of  the  Concrete 
Age.  In  twenty-five  years  iron  and  steel  will  be  used  only  where  it  is 
absolutely  necessary ; as  for  machinery  construction  and  for  rails — while 
modern  structural  steel  sky-scrapers,  railway  and  highway  bridges,  rail- 
way ties,  etc.,  must  and  will  be  constructed  of  concrete  with  a minimum  of 
steel  scientifically  arranged  and  imbedded  therein,  and  known  as  reinforced 
concrete.  This  form  of  construction  will  in  the  near  future  be  the  rule  and 
not  the  exception  as  at  present.  People  talk  of  this  being  the  Concrete  Age. 
It  is  no  such  thing.  It  is  simply  a dream  which  future  generations  alone  will 
realize.  At  present  we  are  in  the  age  of  iron  and  steel.  Its  progress  has  been 
so  vast  and  extensive  that  it  will  exhaust  itself  in  half  a century.  It  is  now 
m its  prime,  this  age  of  iron  and  steel.  Men  now  living  will  witness  its 
decline.  Its  life  has  been  measured  in  cold  figures  which  cannot  be  denied. 
Steel  and  iron  must  and  is  making  way  for  the  age  of  concrete.  The 
foundations  for  the  Cement  Age  are  being  laid  today  upon  which  a superstructure 
will  rise  that  will  indeed  represent  the  Age  of  Concrete.  To-day  is  simply  a 
fringe  on  the  borderland  of  our  industrial  energies,  gradually  pushing  inward, 
never  losing  the  ground  it  has  gained.  Its  destiny  is  to  girdle  the  earth  with  its 
conquests.  This  is  its  mission  which  must  and  will  be  fulfilled  before  it  can  be 
crowned  as  the  Age  of  Concrete. 


THE  ERA  OF  CEMENT  CONSTRUCTION. 


By  JULIUS  KAHN.  Architect  and  Engineer. 


IT  is  not  generally  recognized  that  we  are  at  the  present  time  in  perhaps  the  greatest 
constructive  epoch  in  the  world’s  history.  This  age  shall  probably  be  classed  as  the 
steel  age  in  ioo  years  from  now.  People  in  general  are  too  busy  to  realize  the  im- 
portance and  size  of  the  works  which  are  at  the  present  time  under  construction.  In 
fact,  we  are  ail  too  busy  with  our  own  personal  matters  to  realize  the  greatness  and  sig- 
nificance of  this  movement  in  construction. 

Whereas,  40  years  ago  the  manufacture  of  iron  and  steel  was  as  yet  too  expensive 
and  too  poorly  developed,  at  the  present  time  machinery  and  chemistry  have  advanced 
to  such  a high  stage  of  development  as  to  allow  the  manufacture  of  this  material  to 
reach  a high  state  of  excellence. 

The  fact  that  this  has  been  done  so  well  has  encouraged  engineers,  builders,  and 
architects,  and  at  the  present  time  a majority  of  the  buildings  erected  are  mainly  of  a 
steel  skeleton  framework,  which  supports  the  floors  and  walls,  the  latter  being  merely 
a light  protective  covering  for  the  steel  work.  This  high  state  of  development  in  the 
steel  industry  has  allowed  the  building  of  enormous  structures  in  New  York,  Chicago, 
and  all  .the  large  cities,  as  well  as  here  at  home. 

If  brick  and  masonry  had  been  employed,  the  foundations  and  lower  story  walls 
would  probably  have  been  so  heavy  and  expensive  that  financially  this  size  of  structure 
could  not  have  been  made  profitable.  But  with  the  use  of  steel  the  supports  and  foun- 
dations were  made  comparatively  small  and  little  floor  space  was  occupied  by  them 
Apparently  to  an  outsider  it  seemed  a mystery  how  the  upper  floors  were  supported  on 
the  lower,  the  real  supporting  members  being  entirely  hidden  within  the  masonry. 

At  the  present  time  there  is  a revolution  going  on  in  construction  in  general.  There 
are  many  things  to  indicate  that  we  are  at  the  present  time  passing  out  of  the  iron  and 
steel  age.  It  is  only  about  25  years  ago  that  the  steel  age  could  be  said  to  have  had  its 
modern  beginning.  The  Bessemer  and  Open  Hearth  process  of  steel  manufacture 
wrought  a revolution  in  construction  in  general,  and  at  the  present  time  its  use  has 
reached  the  highest  point  in  its  history.  Will  it  decline?  This  is  a grave  question,  and 
from  present  indications  it  would  seem  that  the  answer  must  be  affirmative. 

There  are  certain  things  in  connection  with  the  use  of  steel  that  will  not  allow  it  to 
satisfy  the  value  of  the  engineer  and  architect.  If  steel  could  be  so  thoroughly  pro- 
tected as  to  be  absolutely  fire  and  rust  proof  there  would  not  be  so  many  objections  to 
it.  But  in  these  two  respects  it  is  seriously  lacking.  The  best  chemists  of  the  country 
have  been  studying  to  find  a rust  proof  covering  for  steel.  Leading  engineering  soci- 
eties have  had  the  subject  up  for  discussion  continually  for  the  last  five  years,  but  so 
far  no  satisfactory  solution  has  been  reached.  One  man  will  say  he  has  discovered 
the  proper  paint  covering,  but  when  tested  it  will  fail  after  a time  like  everything  else 
that  has  been  tried.  A few  years  ago  there  was  a great  rush  over  oxide  iron  paint 
Everybody  said  it  was  the  proper  material  to  use,  and  its  application  was  really  quite 
universal.  Then  it  was  found  that  rust  spots  multiplied  underneath  the  covering.  This 
was  attributed  to  a galvanic  action  claimed  to  exist  between  the  paint  pigment  and  the 
metal.  Then  came  the  red  lead  theory,  and  many  engineers  were  strong  in  advocating 
it,  but  it  ended  in  the  same  way.  Then  the  graphite  theory,  and  Detroit  may  be  said  to 
be  one  of  the  first  places  that  practiced  it ; in  fact,  Detroit  claims  to  have  built  the  first 
graphite  paint  factory.  This  paint,  however,  has  been  criticized  almost  as  severely  as 
the  oxide  of  iron,  as  rust  gathers  under  it  in  just  the  same  way  in  a large  number  of 
instances,  and  painting  must  be  done  with  great  regularity.  Recently  chemists  had  ad- 


54 


vised  the  use  of  gum  oil  paints;  that  is,  paints  composed  of  the  natural  gums,  with 
pigments  and  oils  as  necessary.  This  gives  a brief  idea  of  the  theorizing  which  pro- 
tective coating  for  steel  has  undergone.  At  a discussion  of  a recent  meeting  of  the 
American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  :i  number  of  the  most  prominent  members 
claimed  to  have  discovered  such  a covering  and  held  the  same  secret,  not  for  reasons 
of  desiring  an  exclusive  patent  right,  but  on  account  of  uncertainty.  As  yet  the  paint 
theories  arc  anything  but  reliable. 

An  ordinary  exposed  steel  structure  has  a life  all  the  way  from  io  to  30  years,  de- 
pending upon  the  care  given  it  in  its  protection.  As  an  example,  near  at  hand  in  many 
of  our  M.  C.  R.  R.  viaduct  bridges  it  was  recently  found  that  the  steel  beams  were 
eaten  through  on  account  of  the  corrosive  action  of  the  gases  from  the  locomotives, 
and  required  replacing.  In  fact,  some  railway  companies  are  replacing  steel  with  con- 
crete bridges,  because  steel  is  not  reliable,  nor  permanent ; among  these  may  be  named 
the  Michigan  Central,  Illinois  Central,  Pere  Marquette  and  others. 

The  question  is  anything  but  solved  There  is  scarcely  a month  but  that  some  man 
comes  forward  with  a preparation  which  he  hopes  will  do  it,  but  so  far  they  have  all 
failed. 

Again,  steel  is  lacking  in  fireproof  qualities.  Under  a heavy  fire  steel  will  melt 
like  wax.  Although  a high  temperature  is  required  to  make  a liquid  of  it,  a compara- 
tively low  temperature  converts  it  into  welding  state.  Under  anything  like  extreme 
heat  and  heavily  loaded  it  will  curl  up  and  collapse.  Unless  well  protected  against 
fire,  it  is  little  better  than  wood  construction  under  certain  conditions.  As  a result  of 
high  temperatures  the  latter,  when  made  of  heavy  timbers,  will  char  and  burn  only  on 
the  outside,  without  deep  penetration,  and  for  this  reason  mill  construction,  which 
consists  entirely  of  such  timbers,  is  used  very  largely.  It  originated  in  the  cotton 
mills  of  New  England  and  is  now  used  largely  in  all  factory  construction.  In  this 
type  the  floors  are  made  of  planks  four  to  six  inches  wide,  set  edgewise  and  nailed  to- 
gether.. The  posts  are  of  very  heavy  proportions,  so  as  to  prevent  quick  burnings. 
Building's  of  this  type  will  stand  very  severe  fires,  and  there  are  engineers  who  believe 
mill  construction  to  be  better  than  steel,  unless  the  latter  be  well  protected.  It  does 
seem  that  if  a new  type  of  construction  comes  into  use  that  will  provide  a permanent 
and  fireproof  structure,  the  steel  age  will  draw  to  a close.  At  any  rate,  it  is  a subject 
that  engineers  are  studying  more  earnestly  than  ever  before,  and  they  are  coming  to 
the  conclusion  that  cement  construction  affords  relief  from  these  vexatious  problems. 
Cement  is  now  manufactured  of  such  excellence,  at  such  a low  price,  and  so  thoroughly 
answers  the  wants  of  the  engineer  that  there  is  no  question  that  it  will  replace  steel 
construction.  The  only  question  is  how  fast  it  will  do  so.  There  is  probably  no  sub- 
ject so  much  discussed  by  engineers  now  as  concrete  and  concrete  steel  construction. 

It  must  be  granted  that  concrete  has  this  against  it,  that  if  poorly  made,  it  is 
deceptive;  but  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  carpenter  uses  timber  that  has  dry  rot,  is 
worm-eaten,  or  has  serious  knots  or  wind  shakes,  which  deficiencies  cannot  be  per- 
ceived by  the  ordinary  layman,  and  even  by  a thorough  engineer,  the  dangers^are  much 
greater.  Thus  the  carpenter  may  deceive.  Again,  steel  work  may  be  even  more  dan- 
gerous and  deceptive  if  the  connections  and  sizes  are  not  right,  or  if  anything  about  its 
make  up  is  slighted.  These  risks  must  be  carefully  guarded  against.  The  engineer 
figures  heavy  loads  for  every  square  inch  of  steel,  and  the  dangers  are  proportionately 
greater  if  workmanship  or  quality  of  material  is  below  the  standard;  he  is  careful 
that  a test  be  made  from  .every  batch  of  material.  Then,  again,  he  guards  against  the 
workman’s  poor  riveting,  the  winding  of  steel  members,  the  security  of  connections, 
etc.  There  are  a hundred  ways  in  which  errors  can  creep  in,  any  one  of  which  may 
wreck  his  structure.  It  must  be  assumed  that  skill  is  not  required  to  such  an  extent 
in  concrete  work.  If  a good  brand  of  cement  is  used,  it  only  remains  for  the  superin- 
tendent to  watch  the  proportions  of  mixing,  its  manipulation  and  placing  in  structures, 
and  he  is  assured  that  the  strength  is  ultimately  there.  There  is  this  consolation,  too, 
instead  of  becoming  weak  with  age,  as  steel,  owing  to  its  corrosion,  or  as  wood,  owing 
to  its  rotting,  the  strength  of  cement  construction  continually  increases  and  moisture 
only  serves  to  make  it  harder. 


Again,  it  i>  as  fireproof  as  any  material  known  If  this  is  so,  the  question  may  be 
asked,  why  is  cement  not  used  more  largely  at  the  present  time?  In  answer  I will  say: 
"It  is  only  very  recently  that  America  was  able  to  produce  the  excellent  quality  of 
cement  it  now  produces,  at  a marketable  price.  Europe  led  us;,  but  Europe  is  now  con- 
servative. and  our  rapid  strides  have  placed  the  American  product  in  the  front  rank.' 

It  is  no  longer  as  it  was  ten  years  ago.  that  European  Portland  cements  are  spe- 
cified in  our  best  construction  works  Now  American  Portland  cement  is  used.  In 
fact,  it  is  probably  only  seven  or  eight  years  since  we  made  Portland  cement  in  any  con- 
siderable quantities.  Our  own  cements  were  formerly  the  natural  cement,  but  in  the 
past  few  years  America  has  put  up  Portland  cement  factories  not  only  equal,  but  far 
superior  to  those  in  Europe. 

Put.  again,  used  under  other  conditions,  cement  is  as  effective  as  steel,  without  its 
defective  qualities.  Concrete  is  excellent  when  used  in  compression,  but  it  is  not  so 
good  as  timber  in  tension,  as  it  has  about  one-fifth  of  its  tensile  strength.  For  that 
reason  engineers  did  not  formerly  use  concrete  where  such  strains  were  carried.  But 
now  comes  a new  method,  called  concrete  steel,  or  "reinforced  concrete”  construction, 
which  enables  us  to  use  cement  in  tension  as  well  as  in  compression.  This  type  of  con- 
struct'd! will  work  a revolution  in  the  use  of  steel,  for.  if  concrete,  with  steel  imbedded 
in  it.  he  as  good  in  tension  as  in  compression,  then  it  is  an  ideal  material,  for  it  gives 
the  necessary  strength,  is  fireproof  and  permanent. 

Probably  no  subject  is  now  so  much  before  engineers  and  engineering  societies  as 
concrete  steel  construction.  Different  engineers  have  different  ideas  in  regard  to  plac- 
ing the  steel  within  the  concrete.  There  are  at  the  present  time  50  to  100  different  sys- 
tems or  ways  of  doing  so.  These  differ  from  one  another  in  the  arrangement  of  the 
steel  within  the  concrete,  but  all  agree  that  the  steel  must  be  placed  in  the  concrete 
where  it  takes  the  tension  Of  course  the  concrete  is  used  for  compression.  Again, 
there  is  no  material  which  so  thoroughly  protects  steel  as  concrete,  and  steel  imbedded  in 
concrete  is  as  permanent  as  masonry  itself.  The  simplest  form  of  this  construction  is 
a rectangular  beam,  with  steel  rods  imbedded  in  the  lower  side.  With  such  a beam  a 
load  placed  on  same  tries  to  deflect  it.  and  the  steel  at  the  lower  side  comes  into  ten- 
sion, the  concrete  above  it  into  compression.  I he  greatest  virtue  of  concrete  in  this 
construction  is  the  union  which  the  steel  makes  with  the  concrete.  This  adhesive  prop- 
erty of  concrete  was  only  realized  in  the  last  few  years  and  gave  birth  to  the  present 
concrete-steel  system  of  construction.  As  before  stated,  there  are  from  50  to  too 
systems.  Some  of  the  best  ones  come  from  Europe,  in  just  the  same  manner  as  the 
best  Portland  cements  originally  came  from  Europe.  A few  of  the  European  are  the 
Von  Emperger,  the  Mennier,  the  Considere.  the  f-fennebique,  etc.,  and  in  this  country 
we  have  the  Ransome,  the  Expanded  metal,  the  Columbian  and  the  Johnson,  etc.  These 
systems  are  well  represented  by  many  structures  at  the  present  time.  They  all  have 
in  common  the  placing  of  steel  on  the  tension  side  of  the  concrete,  and  differ  only  in 
the  form  of  the  steel  or  its  arrangement. 

One  thing  more  in  favor  of  concrete  is  its  use  for  long  floor  spans  in  building  con- 
struction. Spans  as  large  as  25  feet  are  easily  constructed  at  the  present  time,  and 
there  are  many  records  of  concrete  spans  50  to  100  feet  long.  Only  very  recently  I was 
called  to  witness  tests  where  the  walls,  floors  and  columns  of  a building  consisted  of 
concrete,  with  floor  spans  of  24  feet  6 inches.  I was  unable  to  attend,  but  1 understand 
a number  of  very  prominent  engineers  were  present.  The  records  of  the  tests  were  sent 
to  me.  These  spans  carried  without  serious  deflection  a load  of  100,000  pounds  uni- 
formly distributed  over  them.  Two  concreted  steel  beams  supported  a concrete  slab 
four  inches  thick  on  which  the  weight  was  piled.  The  actual  sagging  under  this  enorm- 
ous load  was  only  i.t-.D’  of  an  inch.  If  a steel  beam  of  the  same  strength  had  been 
used,  it  would  have  settled  1J4  inches,  thus  showing  that  the  properties  so  greatly  de- 
sired by  engineers  have  been  more  than  realized  in  concrete-steel,  as  the  latter  can  be 
constructed  so  as  to  deflect  under  weights  only  one-quarter  as  much  as  steel. 

I here  is  another  remarkable  advantage  for  concrete-steel  construction.  In  build- 
ings constructed  of  brick  or  stone,  the  vibrations  due  to  the  moving  parts  of  machinery 


56 


are  very  great,  but  in  the  case  of  concrete-steel  it  is  little  or  nothing.  In  this  regard  it 
is  of  great  advantage  in  factory  construction.  The  experimental  stage  in  concrete-steei 
construction  has  passed  by.  It  is  an  accepted  fact  among  all  engineers  that  concrete- 
steel  construction  has  come  to  stay. 

The  only  matter  of  discussion  among  them  is  how  shall  the  steel  be  placed  within 
concrete,  and  some  little  variation  as  to  the  proper  proportions  and  proper  mixture  of 
concrete.  These,  however,  are  matters  of  detail.  It  is  quite  generally  understood  how 
good  concrete  can  be  made,  even  though  some  may  understand  better  than  others  its 
mixing  and  manipulation.  It  is  useless  to  try  to  go  into  a description  of  till  the  forms 
of  concrete  construction  that  can  be  made.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  buildings  are  being 
made  entirely  of  concrete  (including  the  columns,  walls,  floor  spans  and  roof),  making 
a building  absolutely  fireproof.  It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  a building  constructed 
of  concrete  steel  is  not  necessarily  heavier  than  a steel  building,  and  costs  less  than 
one-half  as  much.  Construction  of  this  nature  is  permanent,  rust-proof,  fireproof  and 
rot-proof.  This  is  a remarkable  relief  to  the  engineer  who  for  years  has  studied  the  art 
of  preserving  to  the  community  its  costly  structures. 

In  Europe  there  is  a large  amount  of  this  work.  I have  in  mind  one  concern  that 
did  $25,000,000  worth  of  concrete-steel  construction  this  last  year.  This  construction  is 
coming  into  the  American  market  at  the  present  time,  and  it  was  from  a structure  by 
this  concern  that  the  tests  mentioned  before  were  made. — Detroit  Tribune,  February  9, 
1903. 


Cement  Machinery  Exhibit  at  Universal  Exposition,  St.  Louis.  Mo. 

The  possibilities  of  artistic  designs  in  cement  concrete  work  are  here  plainly  apparent.  This 
exhibit  contains  a large  variety  and  styles  of  blocks,  namely — Octagon,  straight,  corner,  faced,  rock, 
tool,  ornamental,  scroll,  weather,  broken  ashlar,  copings,  mouldings,  circular,  column,  veneer,  retain- 
ing. globe,  belt,  glass  faced,  corner.  4'._.  inch  rock,  b inch  rock,  three-quarter,  half,  quarter,  fractional, 
watertable.  shoulder,  panel,  6 inch  rock.  :S  inch  plain,  balls,  base  and  balusters. 


Future  Buildings  to  be  of  Cement. 


Walls  and  Superstructures  of  Concrete  from  Canadian  Material. 


CRIB  WORK  AND  DAMS.  TOO. 


The  Members  of  the  Engineers’  Club  Discuss  the  Growing 
Cement  Industry. 

Last  night  the  Engineers’  Club  of  Toronto  held  an  important  meeting  in  their 
rooms.  King  street  west.  The  gathering,  which  included  some  of  the  city’s  foremost 
minds  in  engineering  and  building,  was  presided  over  by  Major  Henry  A Gray.  The 
discussion  was  over  the  general  use  of  concrete  in  building  at  the  present  time,  and  it 
seemed  the  concensus  of  opinion  that  stone  masonry  was  a thing  of  the  past,  and  that 
cement  concrete  will  not  only  be  used  in  foundations  in  future,  but  in  the  walls  and  all 
superstructures.  The  discussion  was  led  by  City  Engineer  Rust,  who  drew  attention  to 
the  remarkable  growth  of  the  cement  industry  throughout  the  American  States.  Quot- 
ing the  mineral  resources  report  of  the  United  States  for  1900,  he  said  that  in  1894  the 
production  of  the  24  cement  works  in  the  States  had  been  798,000  barrels,  while  in  1900 
50  works  had  produced  eight  and  one-half  million  barrels.  The  imports  for  1900  were 
over  2.300,000  barrels,  while  the  total  consumption  of  Portland  Cement  in  1900  was 
over  10,700,000. 

GROWTH  IN  CANADA. 

The  City  Engineer  was  unable  to  quote  the  figures  of  the  Canadian  growth  of  the 
cement  trade,  and  light  was  thrown  on  this  by  Mr.  M.  J.  Haney,  who  is  a member  of 
the  club,  and  a well  known  civil  engineer  and  contractor.  The  proportionate  increase 
in  Canada  has  been  as  remarkable  as  the  increase  across  the  border.  In  1891,  100,000 
barrels  of  cement  were  used  in  Canada,  and  of  this  25,000  barrels  only  were  made  in 
this  country.  But  in  1901,  Mr.  Haney  explained,  1,000,000  barrels  were  consumed  in 
the  Dominion,  and  of  this  500,000  barrels  were  produced  at  home. 

This  report  of  the  splendid  stride  in  one  of  Canada’s  most  important  branches  was 
greeted  with  applause,  which  was  repeated  when  Mr.  Haney  said  that  he  believed  the 
proper  sentiment  for  Canadians  to  show  was,  all  things  being  equal,  to  support  home 
industry.  He  did  not  believe  in  importing  anything  into  Canada  that  could  be  secured 
at  home. 

CEMENT  IN  CRIB  WORK. 

The  learned  gentleman  from  the  City  Hall  turned  his  searchlight  upon  the  ques- 
tion, '“Should  not  concrete  be  used  instead  of  cribwork  in  permanent  harbor  works?” 
and  gave  his  opinion  that  he  would,  except  in  cases  where  stone  could  be  procured  in 
suitable  proximity  to  the  work,  use  concrete  for  bridge  piers  and  abutments.  Cement 
concrete,  Mr.  Rust  says,  makes  better  work  and  cheaper  work.  It  was  here  that  the 
City  Engineer  expressed  the  opinion  that  stone  masonry  will  soon  be  a thing  of  the 
past,  and  that  it  will  simply  be  a matter  of  time  when  Portland  Cement  concrete  will 
be  used  in  the  construction  of  buildings  not  only  for  foundations,  but  for  the  outside 
walls  and  partitions.  Later  in  the  evening  the  Engineer  gave  the  interesting  informa- 
tion that  concrete  has  reduced  the  cost  of  permanent  work  from  $12  a yard  to  $5.25  a 
yard. 

Major  Gray  followed  the  City  Engineer  and  made  a few  mysterious  passes  on  a 
blackboard  with  chalk.  These  passes  were  intelligible  only  to  the  engineers,  but  what 
the  gallant  major  was  driving  at  was  that  in  the  construction  of  breakwaters  and 
piers,  while  it  would  cost  but  $3  a cubic  yard  for  wood  and  stone  construction,  concrete 


would  give  a job  for  all  time  for  $6  per  cubic  yard.  It  was  shown  that  twelve  feet  of 
wood  and  stone  were  not  as  strong  as  six  feet  of  concrete,  and  that  by  reducing  the 
sectional  area,  concrete  could  be  utilized  as  cheaply  as  stone  and  wood. 

“What  is  the  life  of  concrete?'’  asked  a voice. 

“Well,  I know  some  that  has  been  in  existence  over  1,000  years,  and  it  is  about 
as  good  as  new.” 

SUCCESS  ON  SOO  CANAL. 

One  of  the  principal  speakers  of  the  evening  was  Mr.  M.  J.  Haney,  who  from  his 
large  and  practical  experience  was  listened  to  with  great  interest.  Mr.  Haney  said  in 
part : 

“I  have  been  for  years  an  advocate  of  cement  in  Canada.  My  experience  with  con- 
crete for  the  foundations  has  been  very  satisfactory.”  Mr.  Haney  then  explained  the 
admirable  manner  in  which  the  concrete  has  stood  the  test  at  the  Soo  canal,  where  the 
foundation  carries  as  heavy  weight  as  any  in  the  country. 

In  commenting  on  the  great  expansion  of  the  cement  industry,  Mr.  Haney  com- 
pared the  progress  with  strides  in  steel.  He  was  of  the  opinion  that  now  builders 
found  that  if  their  great  structures  were  to  last,  the  concrete  must  give  the  life  to  the 
steel  by  covering  it  and  keeping  it  from  the  action  of  the  air. 

Mr.  H.  F.  Duck  spoke  on  the  durability  of  concrete,  and  instanced  a case  in  Wis- 
consin where  he  was  interested  in  the  building  of  a dam  200  feet  wide,  in  which  100 
feet  of  stone  was  used  and  100  feet  of  concrete.  The  stone  was  convenient  but  the 
100  feet  cost  double  the  price  of  the  concrete,  and  is  wearing  away  so  fast  that  it  will 
be  torn  out  and  the  entire  dam  built  of  concrete. 

City  Engineer  Rust  rubbed  it  into  the  government  and  railways  for  neglecting  to 
use  Canadian  cements  years  ago,  and  Major  Gray  replied  that  the  Minister  of  Public 
Work  was  fully  cognizant  of  present  facts,  and  that  as  far  as  practical  all  works  now 
are  being  built  with  concrete  and  Canadian  cement. — Toronto  Daily  Star. 


Reinforced  Concrete. 

Art  Building,  Ottawa  University. 

Evidence  of  a new  building  era  to  which  the  term  “absolutely  fire-proof"  may  properlv  be 
applied  comes  to  us  from  across  the  border.  In  1000  a large  district  of  Ottawa  was  wiped  out  by 
fire  and  three  years  later  the  same  district  was  again  destroyed,  demonstrating  the  folly  of  rebuilding 
upon  the  then  accepted  lines.  Shortly  after  this,  in  December.  1003.  the  Arts  building'of  the  Ottawa 
University  was  destroyed,  with  the  loss  of  many  valuable  books  and  documents  and  at  a sacrifice  of 
life  and  limb,  needlessly  incurred  because  of  the  mode  of  construction  employed.  Iu  rebuilding  the 
selection  of  armored  cement  concrete  for  this  great  new  structure  was  made  only  after  thorough 
investigation  of  its  superior  fire-resisting  properties,  over  all  other  materials  of  construction,  by  the 
University  authorities,  who  visited  numerous  points  in  the  United  States  and  personally  examined 
many  reinforced  concrete  structures  and  especially  the  ruins  of  the  great  Baltimore  fire,  where  the 
superiority  of  this  form  of  construction  was  demonstrated  to  their  entire  satisfaction.  The  new 
building  occupies  the  site  of  the  old  University  building.  It  is  pure  Grecian  style  of  architecture  and 
bears  a striking  resemblance  to  the  national  capitol  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


59 


The  Minneapolis  Journal , Sunday.  June  29,  1906. 

4 


UNCLE  SI  tin  rib 
SET  ENOUGH  CEMENT  If  ■ 


Irrigation  and  Other  Works  Held 
Up— Government  May  Start 
a Factory. 


Require 

partmei 


Special  to  The  Journal. 

Washington,  April  2S. — Uncle  Sam 
wants  Portland  cement  and  wants  it 
badly.  With  twenty-four  big  irriga- 
tion projects  under  construction,  re- 
quiring hundreds  of  thousands  of  bar- 
rels of  cement,  the  engineers  arc  find- 
ing it  next  to  impossible  to  obtain  any- 
thing like  the  quantity  needed.  The 
unprecedented  demand  for  this  commod- 
ity all  over  the  west  lias  already  over- 
taxed the  capacity  of  the  mills,  and 
almost  without  exception  the  govern- 
ment’s requests  for  bids  are  turned  I 
down.  Apparently  no  manufacturers 
west  of  the  Mississippi  are  able  to  sup- 
ply new  orders.  In  reply  to  inquiries 
from  the  government  they  state  that, 
owing  to  the  unusual  demand,  new  or- 
ders cannot  bo  accepted  for  several 
months  to  come.  Recently  proposals 
were  requested  from  eight  manufactur- 
ers and  dealers  in  cement  for  2,000  bar- 
rels required  on  an  Idaho  project.  Only 
one  proposal  wrs  received  and  that  was 
at  a rate  50  per  cent  higher  than  tho 
firm  would  have  sold  a few  months  ago. 
Still  later  invitations  for  bids  for  sev- 
eral thousand  barrels  were  sont  to 
twenty-three  dealers.  Again  but  one 
firm  submitted  a bid,  and  this  was  near- 
ly CO  per  cent  higher  than  the  normal 
profitable  rate  of  salo  by  this  firm. 
Other  attempts  to  purchase  cement  have 
been  similarly  unsuccessful. 

;The  reclamation  service  is  gravely 
concerned,  It  has  let  contracts  for 
structures  involving  millions  of  dol- 
lars, and  a failnre  to  secure  cement  as 
needed,  entering  as  it  does  so  largely 
in  the  work,  will  be  disastrous.  Owing 
to  the  inaccessibility  of  many  of  the 
government  works,  the  transportation 
or  coment  is  difficult  and  costlv.  This 
was  particularly  tho  case  in  Salt  River 
valley  in  Arizona,  where  tho  great  dis- 
tance from  existing  mills  and  the  ex- 
pensive wagon  haul,  mado  the  cost  pro- 
hibitive. After  making  thoro  investi- 
gation of  the  cost  of  bringing  in  cement 
for  the  Roosevelt  dam  and  other 
structures,  the  government  erected  its 
oivn  mill  and  for  several  months  past 
has  been  turning  out  daily  hundreds  of 
barrels  of  first-class  cement  at  a price 
far  below  tho  cost  of  cement  shipped 
in.  It  is  known  That  materials  re- 
quired for  manufacturing  cement  of 
good  quality  exist  near  several  of  the 
other  projects,  and  private  parties 
would  do  well  to  embrace  the  oppor- 
tunity to  go  into  the  business.  From 
tho  present  outlook,  however,  the  gov- 
ernment seems  to  have  a choice  of 
shipping  from  the  far  eastern  seaboard 
or  from  Europe,  or  of  manufacturin 
its  own  cement. 


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'The  Seattle  Daily  Times,  Ma  y e,  /906. 


Users  of  Portland  Product 
State  That  Gity  Engineer 
Thomson  Knowingly  Mis- 
leads Regarding  Combine, 

Prices  Have  Not  Doubled,  as 
He  States,  and  Scarcity  of 
Product  Extends  All  Over  the 
United  States, 

STATEMENTS  made  by  City  Engineer 
Thomson  and  members  of  the 
council  that  a combine  exists 
amon-e  the  big  dealers  and  manufactur- 
ers of  Portland  cement  and  uiat  the 
price  of  the  product  has  gone  up  $2  a 
barrel  in  as  many  months,  are  asserted 
to  be  absolutely  erroneous  by  those  in 
this  city  who  have  closely  Investigated 
the  matter. 

The  council  resolution  to  bar  Portland 
cement  In  municipal  work  here,  and  the 
.resolutions  of  the  Commercial  Club  to 
investigate  the  situation  both  as  regards 
■e.meiu  and  steel  in  the  United  Stales 
. ;ul  Europe,  are  stated  to  bo  absurd. 
Not  only  is  the  council  being  imposed 
on.  apparently  for  some  ulterior  motive, 
in  laklng  up  the  recent  mysterious  reso- 
lution that  nobody  will  father,  but 
builders  and  architects  declare  th;.it  Hie 
city  is  being  injured  severely  in  the 
East  by  the  efforts  of  a few  people  who 
-either  do  not' know  the  true  situation  or 
who  are  wilfully  perverting-  the  truth 
for  some  reason  best  known  to  them- 
selves. 

Protection  of  looal  contractors,  as  well 
as  the  finances  of  the  city,  is  declared 
by  the  city  authorities  to  be  the  reason 
for  the  proposed  stopping  of  all  munici- 
pal contracts  requiring  the  use  of  Port- 
land cement. 

With  work  in  sight  for  the  year  re- 
quiring nearly  400,000  barrels  of  the  ce- 
ment, the  city  faces  the  situation  of 
paying  nearly  twice  as  much  for  the 
cement  as  the  contractors  figured  on 
after  the  city  engineers  had  submitted 
the  estimate,  and  the  work  had  been  or- 
dered by  the  council.  That  this  meajis 
many  thousands  of  dollars  Is  . obvious. 
Many  local  contractors  figured  on  work 
with  cement  at  $2.05  a barrel.  It  has  risen 
to  ?4  In  a few  months. 

The  average  contract  for  street  paving 
let  by  the  city  is  for  a mile  In  extent. 
The  rise  in  cement  means  an  additional 
cost  of  about  $2,700  per  mllo  for  paving, 
according  to  the  figures  of  the  city  en- 
gineer's office.  Seldom  does  a contractor 
make  profits  on  a mile  of  work  even 
approximating  this  sum. 

"If  the  price  of  cement  remains  at  this 
figure  the  city  must  change  the  char- 
acter of  Its  paving  or  go  out  or  busi- 
ness,” say6  City  Engineer  Thomson. 

That  there  s a shortage  of  cement  is 
acknowledged  by  everybody.  It  Is  not  a 
local  shortage,  however,  but  a shortage 


that  Is  felt  all  over  (ho  country.  It 
comes  not  from  any  combtne,”  but  from 
the  more  fact  that  the  demand  exceeds1 
the  supply  in  every  - portion  of  the 
t mud  .States  owing  to  the  phenomenal 
growth  of  the  use  of  cement  along  all 
Industrial  lines.  Tho  effort  of  persons 
here  to  create  the  Impression  that  the 
shortage  is  purely  a local  one:  that  Se- 
attle has  to  pay  more  for  cement  than 
any  other  city,  and  that  an  alleged  local 
combine  exists,  lias  resulted,  builders 
and  architects  say,  in  frightening  away 
capital  desirous  of  Investing  here. 

Resolutions  Are  Ridiculous. 

“For  people  supposed  to  be  thinking 
men  to  go  oft  'hall'-cocked'  nad  pass  reso- 
lutions before  making  any  Investiga- 
tions, thereby  Injuring  the  city,  is  sim- 
ple hysteria,  and  perhaps  a desire  to  get 
into  print,”  said  one  architect  today. 
“For  the  otty  engineer  to  wilfully  run 
Into  print  with  the  story  of  a combine 
to  boost  prices  on  cement  and  to  en- 
deavor to  eliminate  Portland  cement 
from  city  work,  Is  convincing  proof  In 
the  minds  of  many  that  he  has  an  ul- 
terior motive  that  cannot  be  said  to  re- 
flect much  credit  upon  him  either  as  an 
engineer  or  a truthful  man.  I believe 
bis  publio  statements  about  the  matter 
will  result  In  an  Investigation  as  to  his 
reasons  for  Inspiring  that,  council  reso- 
lution that  will  prove  interesting  read- 
ing when  it  is  completed." 

In  an  effort  to  ascertain  the  absolute 
truth  about  the  cement  situation,  sev- 
eral local  architects  and  builders — the 
men  that  the  city  engineer  says  are  be- 
ing so  grievously  Injured  through  an  al- 
leged local  combine — got  together  yes- 
terday morning  and  wired  all  the  big 
.Ymericau  manufacturers  asking  If  they 
could  fill  a 20,000-barrel  order  at  once, 
and.  if  not,  why  not.  These  answers 
were  received: 

From  the  Chicago  Portland  Cement 
Company:  "Useless  to  quote  prices.  Un- 
able to  supply  demand  here." 

United  States  Cement  Company,  In- 
dianapolis: “Can’t  sell  any  cement. 

Have  none." 

Portland  Cement  Company,  Denver: 
“Plant  working  full  capacity,  but  be- 
hind in  orders.  - Can  quote  no  figures 
for  quick  delivery.  Tied  up  with  gov- 
ernment contracts." 

All  Unitod  States  Affected- 

Other  cement  manufacturers  and 
heavy  dealers  replied  In  the  same  man- 
ner. They  all  stated  that  every  city 
and  to-wn  In  the  United  States  wanted 
cement,  but  could  not  secure  It  at  once. 
“The  demand  exceeds  the  supply.  Plants 
working  to' full  capacity  in  effort  to 
catch  up  with  orders  — this  is  the  te'hor 
of  the  word  received  from  all  parts  of 
the  country  by  local  men. 

During  the  past  two  years  the  gen- 
eral use  of  Portland  cement  has  In- 
creased 200  per  cent  and  the  manufac- 
turers have  been  unable  to  keep  pace  in 
the  growth  of  their  plants  with  the 
growth  of  the  demand.  The  result  is 
a natural  shortage,  and,  of  course,  a 
a natural  increase  in  prices.  Govern- 
ment work  has  done  much  to  increase 
the  phenomenal  demand.  The  Portland 
Cement  Company  of  Denver,  for  in- 
stance. is  working  Its  factory  at  full 
capacity  . merely  to  supply  Uncle  Sam 
with  cement  for  his  irrigation  ditches. 

As  far  as  cement  prices  go,  the  state- 
ments of  City  Engineer  Thomos  ap- 
pear to  be  as  erroneous  as  about  an  al- 
leged combine.  Thomson,  -in  a local 
paper,  asserts  that  the  price  of  cement 
has  gone  up  from  $2  to  $4  a barrel.  This 
is  absolutely  denied  here.  F.  T.  Crow', 
of  F.  T.  Crow  & Co.,  stated  today  that 
cement  in  the  local  market  has  never 
been  $2  a barrel.  When  it  came  near 
that  figure  it  was  because  of  a fight 
between  two  big  local  dealers,  who  cut 
prices  for  competitive  purposes,  and 
lost  money  thereby.  The  price  of  Port- 
land cement  in  Chicago  today  is  about 
normal,  although,  owing  to  the  heavy 


demand^  tt  is  slightly— m a<lr)neir,,or 
what  it  was  two  months  ago.  Prices 
quoted  in  Chicago  today  are  $2.20  a bar- 
rel f o.  b.  Chicago.  Freight  on  it  is  - 45 
cents  a hundred.  There  are  400  pounds 
to  a barrel,  which  brings  tho  price  to 
what  it  is  in  this  city  todayc 

Steel  Shortage  Erroneous. 

So  far  as  the  alleged  shortage  of  steel 
is  concerned,  that  also  is  erroneous.  H. 
W.  Jack,  of  the  American  Bridge  Com- 
pany, asserts  ttiat  there  is  plenty  of 
steel  and  that  the  prices  are  normal.  To 
investigate  the  European  market  on  the 
matter  would  be  the  height  of  foolish- 
ness, he  says.  “If  these  big  railroads 
could  buy  steel  at  one-eighth  of  a cent 
less  abroad  than  they  can  buy  it  here 
they  would  buy  it  abroad."  Mr.  Jack  de- 
clared today.  “Yet  you  don't  find  them 
buying  much  abroad." 

Tho  San  Francisco  disaster  has,  of 
course,  helped  to  bring  a shortage  of 
cement  to  this  city  in  addition  to  the 
natural  shortage.  Tills  is  but  tempo- 
rary, however.  Galbraith.  Bacon  & Co. 
have  sent  The  Times  this  statement: 

“Brices  on  cement,  like  on  all  other  ar- 
ticles of  commerce  or  manufacture,  are 
regulated  by  the  laws  of  supply  and  de- 
mand. On  the  Pacific  Coast  cement  has 
been  scarce  for  the  past  nine  months. 
Last  fall  there  were  shipped  upwards  of 

50.000  barrels  of  European  cement  from 
Puget  Sound  to  California  to  alleviate 
the  situation  there.  This  practically 
cleaned  up  all  old  stocks  of  European 
cement  here. 

"The  recent  San  Francisco  catastrophe 
has  an  important  bearing  on  the  situa- 
tion, as  all  means  of  transportation  are 
much  disorganized.  Vast  amounts  of  ce- 
ment will  be  consumed  in  the  rebuildifut 
of  the  city,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  much 
relief  can  reaoh  us  from  that  quarter 
for  many  montns. 

“There  are.  however,  vast  supplies  on" 
the  way  to  this  market.  We  have  over 

110.000  barrels  of  European  cement 
afloat  and  on  the  way  here.  This  ce- 
ment will  arrive  regularly  each  month 
after  June.  Following  is  the  list  of  ves- 
sels carrying  European  cement  for  us 
now  on  the  way  here: 


Ship  and  Brand — -kt 

?S‘r^k-AASe,i“due;in  Seattle  June.  1905  . 15J100 

ir+"<ifnS1r.ne^rCoi!idor’J  due  in  Seattle  Julv,  1906, ; 5 000 

1t,a'^~  °n^0r-.,due  1n  Seattle  August,  1 906  22’500 

Villehn^. 4iondo,r’  dlie  in  Seattle  August,  1 906 1 7^000 

\illebois_  Hercules,  due  in  Seattle  Senfomher  i«nt  jg  qqq 

’,500 
,000 

,oux  K.  B.  & S.,  due  In  Seattle  October,  1906 10,000 

Total  r- 

114,500 


“In  addition  we  have  a contract  call- 
ing for  8,000  barrels  per  month  of  Stan- 
dard cement  from  California,  which 
amounts  to  64.000  barrels  more  vet  to 
come  this  year.  This  Standard  cement 
will  be  supplied  to  the  largest  city  con- 
tractors at  not  over  $3  per  barrel.  Manv 
of  these  larger  contractors  have  already 
engaged  cement  at  this  price  and  less 
which  will  carry  them  through  the  sum- 
mer. 


“Other  dealers  have  correspondingly 
large  amounts  of  cemeni  on  the  way 
here.  It  is  reported  that  Balfour. 
Guthrie  & Co.  alone  have  chartered  six 
steamers  which  carry  full  cargoes  of 
cement  for  the  Pacific  Coast. 


- . As  a matter  of 

lact;  more  cement  is  now  en  route  to 
Puget  Sound  by  rail  and  water  than 
ever  before  in  the  history  of  the  coun- 
fry-On  Portland  cement  there  is  no  com- 
blfiation  of  dealers  to  raise  prices  in 
Seattle.  There  is  no  corner 

“The  advances  in  price  have -been 
gradual  and  have  been  made  with  due 
notice  to  dealers,  contractors  and  con- 
sumers by  manufacturers  on  the  Paciflc 
Coast,  In  Europe  and  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  United  States.” 


CONCRETE  IN  CINCINNATI. 


"Concrete  is  King”  in  Cincinnati.  Since  the  advent  of  the  In- 
galls block  and  the  Pugh  Power  building,  concrete  has  superseded 
all  other  forms  of  construction.  The  city  has  experienced  a boom 
in  building  operations  and  almost  every  large  structure  has  em- 
ployed concrete  very  largely,  while  a majority  of  them  have  been 
of  concrete  construction  throughout. 

There  is  at  the  present  time  no  less  than  twenty  large  buildings 
in  course  of  erection,  all  of  reinforced  concrete  construction.  The 
Cincinnati  Southern  depot  is  perhaps  the  most  notable,  a structure 
three  blocks  in  length,  1,150  feet,  and  150  feet  wide,  costing  about 
$250,000.  Several  others  are  for  mercantile  purposes,  covering  a 
large  floor  space,  and  eight  and  ten  stories  high,  costing  $100,000 
and  upwards.  A new  million  dollar  hotel  building  is  under  way 
which  is  to  have  a steel  frame,  every  part  of  which  will  be  encased 
in  concrete. 

The  building  for  the  Bullock  Electric  Co.  is  another  large 
structure,  and  especially  interesting  from  the  fact  that  it  was  orig- 
inally designed  for  steel  construction  and  requiring  at  least  six 
months  before  steel  could  be  placed.  It  was  afterwards  decided 
to  use  reinforced  concrete,  and  the  Ferro-Concrete  Construction 
Co.  secured  the  contract,  guaranteeing  to  complete  the  job  in 
ten  weeks. 

The  Union  Savings  and  Trust  Building,  Twelfth  and  Vine 
streets,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  is  one  of  the  recent  achievements  in 
concrete  construction.  The  foundation,  walls,  framework,  floors, 
partitions,  etc.,  are  of  reinforced  concrete.  The  front  and  all 
ornamentation  is  artificial  cement  stone,  that  part  of  the  structure 
alone  being  a contract  for  $5,000. 

This  is  a fine  example  of  the  modern  bank  building  and  fully 
demonstrates  that  concrete  is  a most  desirable  form  of  construc- 
tion for  even  the  most  elaborate  twentieth  century  architecture. 
The  building  was  erected  by  the  Ferro-Concrete  Construction 
Co.,  and  the  cement  art  stone  furnished  by  the  Architectural 
Stone  Co.,  of  Cincinnati.  The  entire  structure  cost  about  $150.- 
000.  Designed  by  Gustave  Drach. 


I| 

H 

II 

II 

SI 


I 

I 
I 
1 
I 


The  Ingalls  Skyscraper  Office  Building,  Constructed  Entirely  of  Portland  Cement. 

The  first  building  of  its  kind  erected  in  the  United  States. 

Architects  Contractors 

Elzner  & Anderson  Ferro-Concrete  Construction  Co. 

Built  in  1903,  this  great  structure  was  such  an  innovation  that  Building  Inspector  Tooker  re- 
quired much  time  and  investigation  before  granting  a permit.  The  Ingalls  building  is  a con- 
spicuous monument  to  one  of  Cincinnati's  multi-millionaires,  M.  E.  Ingalls,  President  of  the  Big 
Four  Railroad.  It  is  a solid  structure  of  artificial  stone  which  grows  more  solid  as  the  years  go 
by.  It  is  constructed  entirely  of  reinforced  Portland  cement  concrete  with  embedded  steel  rods,  no 
structural  steel  whatever  being  used.  This  form  of  construction  is  very  strong  and  durable,  so  much 
so  that  the  retaining  wall,  instead  of  being  three  or  four  feet  thick,  is  less  than  one  foot  in  thick- 
ness. Such  a structure,  instead  of  growing  discolored  with  age,  assumes  a creamy  whiteness  that 
continually  adds  to  its  appearance.  This  building,  210  feet  high.  10  stories  above  the  street  level, 
was  erected  in  19S  days.  Each  story,  as  its  forms  were  removed,  was  ready  for  the  immediate 
installation  of  all  the  finishing  materials.  Each  floor,  with  the  columns  and  walls  of  the  story 
below,  was  built  complete  in  2 days.  Three  stories  of  forms  were  used  to  enable  the  concrete  of  each 
story  to  remain  21  days  before  the  forms  were  removed.  This  pioneer  example  of  Portland  cement 
concrete  skyscraper  construction  has  proven  superior  to  all  other  methods,  with  the  result  that  an 
entire  revolution  is  now  taking  place  in  building,  and  cement  concrete  leads  the  world 


The  Largest  Reinforced  Concrete 
Building  in  the  United  States. 

We  illustrate  a prospective  view  of  the 
new  armored  concrete,  fireproof  power 
building,  08x335  feet,  and  nine  stories 
high  during  construction  on  l'ike  and 
Fourth  streets,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  The 
footings,  walls,  columns,  girders,  beams, 
floors,  roof,  pent  houses,  tanks,  parti- 
tions, hot  air  ventilating  ducts,  as  well 
as  shafts,  chimneys  and  stairs,  are  of 
reinforced  cement  concrete.  Not  a parti- 
cle of  wood,  brick,  or  structural  steel  is 
used  in  the  building.  All  window  frames 
and  sash  are  metal,  and  glazed  with  wire 
glass.  This  construction  is  designed  to 
be  the  most  incombustible  building  ever 
constructed. 

The  retaining  walls  are  only  0 inches 
thick,  made  possible  by  reinforcing  the 
pilaster  to  withstand  the  bending  move- 
ment produced  by  the  earth  pressure. 

The  columns  are  spaced  20  and  23  feet 
from  centers  in  one  direction  and  14  to 
17  feet  in  the  other  direction. 

All  floors  and  girders  are  figured  to 
carry  2.'!o  pounds  per  square  foot.  The 
cost  of  the  building  complete  will  not 
exceed  7 cents  per  cubic  foot,  for  which 
price  it  would  be  impossible  to  construct 
such  a building  in  the  so-called  mill 
construction.  Therefore,  capitalists  who 
can  grasp  the  economy  of  armored  con- 
crete construction,  will  be  able  to  erect 
fireproof  buildings  instead  of  firetraps  for 
the  same  capital  invested.  Mr.  A.  II. 
Pugh.  being  an  engineer,  was  enabled  to 
see  at  once  the  great'  economy  of  rein- 
forced concrete  construction  and  there- 
fore adopted  it.  Messrs.  Diltoe  and  Wis- 
enall  are  the  architects.  This  firm  have 
likewise  designed  the  reinforced  concrete 
Blymyer  building  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio 
The  concrete  in  the  Pugh  building  is 
being  done  by  Messrs.  A.  Bentlov  & Sons 
of  Toledo,  O. 


View  of  the  new  armored  concrete,  fireproof,  power  building.  GSx335  feet  by  nine 

stories  mid  base during  course  of  construction  by  the  A.  II.  Pugh  Printing  Co., 

Pike  and  Fourth  St  roots, Cincinnati. 


The  Greatest  Beam 
in  the  World. 

A concrete  sup- 
port 102  feet  long, 
is  described  in  a re- 
cent article  in  the 
I. os  Angeles.  Cal.. 
Express.  The  beam 
in  question  forms  a 
part  of  the  support 
to  the  roof  of  a new 
warehouse  which  is 
being  erected  in  Los 
Angeles.  The  build- 
ing is  entirely  of 
concrete  and  the 
beam  mentioned  is 
claimed  to  have 
been  the  longest  so 
far  ever  built  of  con- 
crete. While  it  is 
102  feet  long,  it  is 
less  than  two  feet 
in  thickness.  The 
beam  is  reinforced 
by  six  iron  bars 
running  through  its 
entire  length.  A test 
of  one  of  tlte  beams 
was  made  by  E.  S. 
("odd.  chief  engin- 
eer of  the  Pacific 
Electric  Xty.  who 
took  an  accurate 
measurement  of  the 
settling  as  the  sup- 
ports were  removed 
under  it.  This  set- 
tling is  declared  to 
he  less  than  ,0s  of 
an  inch.  Mnnv  on 
gineers  of  the  Paci- 
fic Coast  wit  in  'ssccl 
this  test. 


IN  the  upper  picture  is  shown  the 
seven  story  reinforced  concrete  llauck 
Building,  t'incinnnti,  Ohio,  constructed 
in  1004  by  the  Ferro-Concrete  Construc- 
tion Co.,  engineers.  .Incob  Kucckert  be- 
ing the  architect.  This  entire  structure 
is  composed  of  Portland  cement  con- 
crete and  twisted  steel  rods  being  ab- 
solutely (ire.  vermin  and  time  proof. 
The  girder  span  in  tills  building  is  21 
feet.  The  sped  lied  load  to  lie  carried 
is  (12,000  ills.,  hut  on  tests  made  with 
double  (lie  load.  124,000  lbs.,  for  live 
days  tlie  deflection  was  but  7-04  of  an 
inch,  equal  to  l-2500th  of  span.  Each 
floor  forms  a perfect  roof,  under  which 
all  plastering,  piping,  wiring  and  inter- 
ior finish  proceeded,  whereby  much  time 
was  saved  over  other  forms  of  construc- 
tion. This  was  the  first  building  ever 
comfortably  occupied  when  only  half 
completed,  each  story  being  finished  sep- 
arately while  the  work  progressed  above 
without  delay.  The  cost  of  this  build- 
ing was  considerably  less  than  ordinary 
steel  and  tile  construction.  It  will  last 
forever,  requiring  no  repairs.  The  ad- 
vent of  such  buildings  is  fast  develop- 
ing a new  era  in  construction  through- 
out the  world.  Every  progressive  ar- 
chitect and  engineer  is  today  studying 
this  form  of  construction  and  if  means 
without  doubt  a tremendous  consumption 
of  Portland  cement  in  the  future  along 
this  line.  Portland  cement  is  very  prop- 
erly described  as  the  “Sampson"  amongst 
building  materials. 


Sky-Scrapers  of  Cement. 

For  once  that  veteran  inventor.  Thom- 
as A.  Edison,  has  assumed  a new  role — 
that  of  prophet.  Cement  and  steel  he 
declares  are  to  lie  the  building  materials 
of  the  future.  Sky-scrapers  will  lie  built 
of  frame-work  of  steel  with  walls  of 
Portland  Cement,  the  steel  work  encased 
in  cement  as  well. 

Some  of  the  fire  insurance  people  will 
go  out  of  business,  so  far  as  building 
risks  are  concerned,  or  write  risks  on 
the  balance  of  what  will  be  then  obso- 
lete buildings. — Cement  and  Engineering 
Xcws.  April.  1002. 


In  the  lower  cut  is  shown  the  new  concrete  factory  of  the  American  Book  Company.  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio.  365x170  feet,  built  in  1904,  Elzner  & Anderson,  architects.  All  foundations,  columns, 
girders,  beams,  floors,  roofs  and  stairs  are  of  Ferro  concrete.  No  structural  or  cast  iron  whatever. 
We  quote  the  following  from  W.  B.  Thalheimer,  General  Manager  of  this  building.  "Our  printing  office 
proper  is  a room  having  nearly  21.000  feet  of  floor  space  and  built  with  a carrying  capacity  of  400 
lbs.  to  the  square  foot.  We  are  running  in  it  25  presses,  most  of  them  weighing  about  13  tons  and 
have  ample  space  for  additional  machinery  as  it  is  required.  There  is  practically  no  vibration  in 
this  building,  none  perceptible  when  standing  bv  the  presses  and  no  vibration  whatever  in  the  columns 
or  walls.  The  building  is  in  this  respect  superior  to  our  expectations  and  we  have  no  hesitancy  in 
saying  that  a building  properly-  constructed  of  cement  concrete  is  an  ideal  one  for  machinery  in 
motion.  We  are  very  glad  that  we  decided  on  a concrete  structure." 


building  west  of  New 
York.  The  advan- 
tage of  concrete  pil- 
ing over  other  forms 
of  concrete  founda- 
tions appears  to  have 
been  clearly  demon- 
strated. 

There  are  several 
methods  used  in  con- 
structing this  style 
of  foundation  and  a 
great  many  patents 
recently  taken  out 
for  concrete  piling. 
Because  of  the  great 
adaptability  of  con 
crete,  builders  are 
not  confined  to  one 
mode  o 1"  construc- 
tion. The  y may 
either  manufacture 
reinforced  piling  and 
drive  them,  as  in  the 
case  of  timbers,  or 
may  put  the  con- 
crete in  position  in 
the  shafts,  which  is 
the  m et  h o d now 
growing  in  favor. 

The  It  an  some  & 
Smith  Co.  are  erect 
ing  a group  of  seven 
reinforced  concrete 
buildings  for  the 
Vanderbilt  Realty 
Company  at  Des- 
patch. N.  V.  The 
buildings  will  be 
used  by  the  Fnster- 
,'rmstrong  Piano 
Company. 


Concrete  piling  of  the  Ferro  Concrete  Construction  Co.,  ready 
for  use  beneath  the  concrete  foundations  in  the  great  Ditman  build- 
ing of  Cincinnati,  i >.  These  piles  were  driven  in  the  ordinary  way, 
some  of  them  receiving  as  many  as  400  blows  with  the  pile  driver. 

Concrete  construction  has  solved  one  of  the  most  difficult  prob- 
lems in  the  erection  of  large  buildings,  and  the  method  now  almost 
universally  employed  for  substructures  is  what  is  known  as  concrete 
pier  foundations.  Shafts  are  sunk  in  some  instances  to  the  depth 
of  $5  to  100  feet,  to  solid  rock,  and  the  wells  filled  with  concrete, 
which  in  turn  forms  piers. 

Since  the  down-town  section  of  the  city  of  Chicago  is  under- 
laid by  a lied  of  soft  clay  (So  to  100  feet  deep,  which  affords  merely 
a “floating,”  inadequate  foundation  for  heavy  buildings,  this  method 
of  construction  is  especially  applicable. 

Among  the  notable  buildings  constructed  in  this  manner  in  Chi- 
cago are  the  new  Tribune  and  the  First  National  Bank  Blocks,  the 
Schlesinger  & Mayer  and  the  Marshall  Field  stores  and  the  new 
Railway  exchange  Building,  which  is  perhaps  the  best  type  of  office 


View  showing  beam  and  girder  forms  ready  to  be  filled  with  concrete  and  the  completion  of  the 

floor  about  to  lie  accomplished. 


66 


Cotton  Mill  at  Lille,  France. 


This  construction  one  of  the  first  marie  in  Armored  Portland  Cement  Concrete,  llennebique 
System,  is  very  deep  and  large,  and  needed  plenty  of  light,  and  for  that  reason  was  established 
simply  by  a skeleton  in  Armored  Cement  Concrete,  and  the  exterior  walls  instead  of  being 
either  in  brick  or  in  concrete,  were  formed  largely  by  the  windows.  . 

What  is  remarkable  in  that  construction,  which  is  of  comparatively  small  dead  load,  is, 
that  although  it  is  provided  with  engines  producing  very  considerable  shocks,  no  apparent 
vibration  is  to  be  noticed. 


Fire  Proof. 

Recent  reports  of  building  construction  in  Rochester,  Toronto,  Baltimore  and. San 
Francisco,  all  of  which  cities  suffered  from  most  destructive  fires  show  conclusively 
the  preference  for  concrete  construction,  thus  testifying  to  the  value  of  that  material 
during  the  large  conflagrations.  The  Manufacturers’  Record  of.  Baltimore  published 
a very  interesting  article  on  concrete  in  the  Baltimore  fire,  which  gives  a long  list 
of  buildings  which  are  now  being  erected  in  concrete  and  reinforced  concrete. 


Interior  View  of  Portland  Cement  Warehouse. 

This  form  of  construction  is  especially  adapted  for  warehouses  and  factory  buildings  where 
provision  must  be  made  for  heavy  loads. 


Concrete  Tanks  Sugar  Manufacturing  Co.,  Cairo,  III 

Ransome  system  concrete  construction  employed. 


New  Hotel  Hawyard,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

1 tuler  construction  by  Messrs.  Lonnrdt  & Co.,  the  well  known  concrete  contractors  of 
Log  Angeles.  The  building  is  to  be  !)  stories  high  and  82x10!)  feet.  All  the  “timbers”  are  concrete 
of  n very  superior  (pinlity  made  of  the  Western  States  brand  Portland  cement.  The  hotel  will  be  of 
handsome  design  and  linish  and  is  the  tirst  building  of  any  magnitude  made  entirely  of  Portland 
cement  that  has  yet  been  built  in  California,  or  on  the  Coast.  Southern  California  owners,  builders 
and  contractors  are  rapidly  “falling  into  line"  regarding  the  practicability  as  well  as  the  economic 
use  of  concrete  ns  a building  material.  The  popularity  of  this  material  is  constantly  increasing  and 
the  field  of  Its  usefulness  widening. 


Exterior  view  of  Power  House,  National  Portland  Cement  Co.  Entire  Construction  Peninsular  Portland  Cement. 


A High  Concrete  Chimney. 

The  Butte  Reduction  Works  of 
Butte.  Montana,  has  just  complet- 
ed a concrete  chimney,  354  feet 
high.  1,600  barrels  of  Portland 
cement  were  used  in  its  construc- 
tion. It  has  an  interior  diameter 
of  eighteen  feet  throughout.  The 
foundation  is  forty-two  feet  six 
inches  square.  The  entire  struc- 
ture weighs  1,500  tons. 


American  Smelting  & Refining  Co.. 
Tacoma,  Washington. 

Height  307  feet  x 18  feet  Inside  diameter. 


Arlington  Mills, 

Lawrence,  Massachusetts. 
Height  250  feet  x 11  feet  inside  diameter. 


Portland  General  Electric  Co., 
Portland  Oregon. 

Height  230  feet  x 12  feet  inside  diameter. 


The  above  are  among  the  largest  concrete  chimneys  in  the  world  and  are  built  according  to  the 
"Webber  System."  The  materials  used  are  sand  and  Portland  cement  reinforced  with  “T”  steel  bars. 
Concrete  chimneys  are  very  substantial  and  economical  in  construction  as  well  as  in  maintenance, 
as  no  repairing  or  painting  is  needed  : and  are  a substantial  ornamentation  to  any  industrial  plant. 
6 to  8 feet  per  day  is  about  the  progress  of  construction. 


69 


Ferro-Cement  Concrete  Warehouse  o the  Co-operative  Society,  Limited, 
at  Newcastle-on-Tyne. 

This  building  rises  to  a height  of  120  l'eet,  and  consists  of  basement,  ground  floor  and  six 
upper  floors  The  ground  at  the  sight  of  the  building  was  of  the  worst  description  imaginable 
for  foundations,  and  this  entire  structure  rests  on  a • raft"  of  ferro  concrete,  which  covers  the 
whole  area  of  the  ground.  This  raft  measures  two  feet  six  inches  in  its  thickest  part  and  only 
seven  inches  in  its  thinnest  part,  and  the  idea  of  sinking  piles  or  cylinders  tor  foundations 
was  thus  abandoned,  it  being  found  that  the  ferro  concrete  "raft"  system  would  effect  a 
■Teat  saving,  both  in  cost  and  time.  The  columns,  floors,  walls  and  all  are  of  ferro  concrete. 
The  walls  of  the  basement  are  onlv  eighteen  inches  thick,  while  the  walls  or  tne  ground  floor 
are  only  twelve  inches  thick,  and  they  are  gradually  reduced,  until  the  thickness  at  the 
roof  level  becomes  only  four  inches.  The  ferro-eoncrete  beams  carrying  the  floors  are  mostlj 
iwelve  inches  deep  bv  seven  inches  wide,  and  the  floors  are  seven  inches  thick,  their  span 
being  fourteen  feet  six  inches.  The  strength  of  these  floors  has  been  tested  up  to  foul  tons 
per  square  yard  bv  means  of  ninety-six  tons  of  pig  iron  gradually  applied  on  a square  measur- 
ing fourteen  feet  six  inches.  The  severity  of  this  test  will  be  recognized  when  it  is  remem- 
bered that  the  heaviest  locomotive  in  use  in  this  country  weighs,  with  its  tender,  less  than 
ninety-six  tons,  and  could  therefore  be  supported  on  a space  fourteen  feet  six  inches  square  ot 

anv  floor  of  this  building.  . . , ,,  ...  a 

' The  strength  of  Ibis  building  as  a whole  is  enormous,  inasmuch  as  the  sills,  floois.  walls 
and  roofs  are  all  so  to  speak,  tied  together,  and  the  whole  forms  a sort  of  huge  monolithic 
structure  which  cannot  suffer  deformation  from  any  strain  it  may  be  called  on  to  undergo. 


Hotel  Gallia  at  Cannes. 

(entirely  built  in  ferro  cement  construction. 


70 


1 


Bank  Building  in  Leipzig,  Germany. 

This  building  is  constructed  entirely  in  Armored  Cement 
Concrete.  Hennebique  System,  viz.  : floors,  columns,  footings, 
roof  (which  is  in  cinder  concrete),  as  well  as  the  walls 
are  all  constructed  of  Portland  Cement. 


Portland  Cement  is  the 
finest  non-conducting  fire- 
proof" material  ever  produc- 
ed. It  is  as  nearly  imper- 
vious to  heat  as  anything 
ever  discovered.  It  costs 
only  about  one-half  in  fuel 
to  heat  a large  residence  so 
constructed  than  if  it  had 
been  built  in  tbe  ordinary 
way. — Detroit  T ribune. 

SKYSCRAPERS  IN  DANGER 

A Boston  Proiessor’s  Note  of 
Alarm  Over  Building 
Methods. 

Boston,  March  14. — Every 
skyscraper  and  large  office 
building  here  is  is  danger 
of  collapse,  according  to 
the  statement  made  by  Pro- 
fessor Charles  L.  Norton  of 
the  Massachusetts  Institute 
of  Technology,  today.  He 
says  the  corrosion  of  steel, 
and  the  consequent  weaken- 
ing of  the  structures,  be- 
cause of  the  ineffectiveness 
of  some  of  the  preparations 
used  to  protect  the  metal, 
should  be  carefully  consid- 
ered by  builders.  He  con- 
demns stone  work  and  terra 
cotta  as  being  ineffective 
against  fire,  and  says  con- 
crete is  by  far  the  best  pro- 
tection for  structural  mater- 
ial against  flames. 


Punahow  Preparatory  School  Building.  Honolulu  H.  I. 

Built  entirely  of  Portland  Cement  concrete.  Dimensions,  145x83  feet.  Walls  are  14.  10  and  S inches  thick. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  building  authorities  of  the  islands  of  the  far  Pacific 
have  shown  a capacity  to  grasp  progressive  ideas  in  general  building  construction  in  so  credit- 
able a manner  as  is  illustrated  h.v  the  erection  of  this  important  building  entirely  of  cement 
concrete.  Among  other  important  buildings  erected  in  Honolulu  of  this  material  are  the 
Automobile  Building,  80x200  feet,  in  general  measurement,  and  the  Club  Stables.  72x56  feet. 


THE  ISTHMIAN  CANAL. 

"The  cement  manufacturers,  it  appears,  have  not  yet  waked  up  to  what  the  building  of  the 
Isthmian  Canal  means  to  them.  The  construction  material  that  will  be  required  is  almost 
beyond  calculation.  The  canal  will  have  huge  blocks  of  concrete  masonry  which  will 
require  hundreds  of  thousands  of  tons  of  cement.  The  facing  of  the  canal,  the  foundations 
and  walls  of  electric  light,  power  and  storage  plants,  of  naval  stations,  army  barracks,  and 
forts,  sea  walls,  dams,  breakwaters,  piers,  docks,  jetties,  and  marine  dry  docks  will  require 
cement  in  such  quantities  that  will  give  fortunes  to  manufacturers.  And”  what  will  be  partic- 
ularly gratifying  to  the  fortunate  contractors,  is  the  fact,  that  they  will  be  furnishing  the 
material  to  the  government,  which  has  the  credit  of  the  world  back  of  it.  Would  it  not 
be  well  for  our  manufacturers  to  'get  a move  on'  in  time  and  endeavor  to  share  in  the  good 
things  soon  to  he  offered  to  the  public.” — Cement  and  Slate,  Se(>t.,  1902. 


United  States  Naval  Academy  Chapel,  Annapolis,  Md. 


One  of  the  most  Interesting  examples  of  the  use  of  concrete  in  building  operations.  The 
Chapel  affords  the  opportunity  of  demonstrating  all  the  value  of  concrete-steel  construction  in  a 
must  thorough  and  perhaps  also  a most  novel  manner.  The  dome  shell,  the  roofs  of  the  wings,  piers 

col ns  1 1 ire  bracing,  doors  and  their  supports,  are  constructed  entirely  of  reinforced 

Portland  ecm'ent  concrete.  The  advantages  of  this  style  of  construction  tire  many  and  of  an  import- 
nnture.  comprising  the  characteristic  advantages  of  concrete,  its  economy,  durability,  and  fire- 
rcslst  in"  . 1 1 1 a I i t ics.  as  compared  with  a skeleton  construction  of  steel.  Recent  events  have,  beyond  a 
, Inula  added  1.,  1 lie  volume  of  evidence  against  unprotected  steel  in  building  operations.  The  disas- 
trous ’ effect  s of  lire  upon  steel  frame  have  been  chronicled  alike  both  in  the  general  and  technical 
press  and  need  no  further  mention  here  except  to  add  emphasis  to  the  wisdom  of  employing  concrete 
const rnel ion  in  Its  stead  The  feature  of  the  design  for  this  Chapel  was  building  the  dome  and  the 
I'.eir  a relic,  over  galleries  in  reinforce  I concrete  and  carrying  that  total  load  practically  on  the 
foundations  1.x  means  of  reinforced  concrete  pillars,  thus,  the  walls  have  no  load  to  carry  and 
could  be  built  hollow  which  would  diminish  the  weight  and  expense  of  the  construction. 


View  of  the  Concrete  Tower  at  the  moment  of  its  fall,  Nov.  Oth,  1005. 

One  of  the  most  unique  engineering  feats  of  recent  years.  A concrete  column  rising  to  a 
height  of  70  feet  successfully  overturned,  falling  into  the  river  within  600  feet  of  the  brink  of  the 
Horseshoe  Falls  in  order  to  raise  the  water  at  the  intake  from  which  the  city  of  Niagara  Falls  and 
Niagara  Falls  Park  and  River  Railway  both  take  water.  At  this  point  the  course  of  the  river 
sends  the  water  whirling  against  the  shore  and  owing  to  the  power  of  the  current  the  practical,  but 
unusual  method  of  building  such  a dam  was  decided  upon  and  proved  a complete  solution  of  the 
problem.  The  fallen  dam  makes  a pocket  as  it  were  and  the  river  flowing  around  this  obstruction 
hacks  up.  causing  a rise  of  about  10  inches  at  the  intake. 


Stemming  Niagara  with  Concrete. 


Concrete  Construction  Inside  of  Dome,  United  States  Naval  Academy.  Annapolis.  Md. 


Portland  Cement  Concrete  BuildinRs  ol  the  Canadian  Bank  of  Commerce  at  Toronto  and 
London,  Ontario,  and  Brandon.  Manitoba. 


Office  Building,  Buffington,  fnd. 


. strongest  possible  proof  of  the  artistic  value  of  concrete  block  construction.  Bxterior  is 
built  of  cast  cement  stone,  interior,  columns,  beams,  stairways,  doors  and  roof  bein'*  reinforced 
concrete,  and  the  partitions  hollow  concrete  blocks. 


Peristylium  in  the  Pompeia  at  Saratoga,  N.  Y. 

The  floors,  walls,  pillars,  architraves,  etc.,  all  made  out  of  Portland  Cement,  have  had  seventee 
wear,  and  are  as  perfect  to-day  as  when  completed  in  l ssr». 


Union  Savings  Bank  and  Trust  Company.  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 

An  interesting  example  of  cement  concrete  construction.  The  entire  structure,  including  t tie 
front  and  all  ornamentations,  of  Portland  cement  concrete.  “We  produce  from  Concrete." 


An  Example  of  Perfect  Cement  Construction. 

Court  Room  of  Nassau  County  Court  House,  shown  on  opposite  page. 


General  View  of  Hotel  Blenheim,  Atlantic  City,  N.  J. 

Gne  ui  till-  largest  examples  of  reinforced  concrete  in  the  United  States.  128x1520  feet  and  8 
and  12  stories  high.  The  building  is  an  object  of  great  interest  to  architects  and  engineers,  owing  to 
certain  unusual  methods  of  construction.  It  is  not  an  exaggeration  to  say  that  its  construction 
is  another  triumph  for  reinforced  concrete.  The  Blenheim  is  of  the  most  advanced  and  permanent 
type  of  fire  proof  construction,  known  as  reinforced  concrete.  AH  the  structural  parts,  such  as 
columns,  girders,  floors,  roofs,  balconies,  and  domes  are  Portland  Cement  concrete,  interlaced  with 
steel  rods,  there  being  an  entire  absence  of  structural  steel,  brick  or  wood.  Thus  there  was  procured 
a perfectly  Are  proof  structure  at  much  less  cost  than  would  have  been  involved  in  steel  construction. 
The  piers  supporting  the  columns  under  the  main  dome  have  12  piles  each.  In  all  there  are  about 
1800  piles,  averaging  20  feet  in  length  beneath  the  dome.  The  wall  piers  are  connected  by  rein- 
forced concrete  beams  4 feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground  to  carry  the  lower  story  of  the  wall. 
The  system  of  concrete  construction  used  in  this  building  is  a modification  of  the  Kahn  System, 
employing  hollow  cement  tile  and  concrete  joist  in  floors  with  the  addition  of  a solid  slab  of  concrete 
put  in  at  the  same  time  and  forming  a homogenous  mass,  practically  a monolith,  from  foundation 
to  dome. 


The  Plaza  Hotel,  Kenwood  and  Hennepin  Ave.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

A roncivle  structure  just  comphtrd  at  a cost  of  $21h.O(i<i.  The  building  is  six  stories  high, 
ilit.v  apartments,  a roof  garden  will  be  added  later,  and  is  one  of  t lie  finest  hostelries  in  the 
st  \V  .1  K'  iih.  architect  and  principal  owner.  "Wo  produce  from  Concrete." 


National  Galaries  of  History  and  Art,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Under  process  of  construction  out  of  Portland  Cement.  Will  cost  when  completed  $10,000,000. 

Would  cost  in  stone  $40,000,000. 

In  an  article  entitled.  "An  Artist's  View  of  Cement  Construction."  the  writer  says.  "Naturi 
and  science  have  joined  hands  in  this  product,  and  only  await  art  and  the  art  lover  to  step  in  and 
render  the  symposium  complete  when  our  dream  of  the  Washington  of  the  north  shall  be  realized 
in  the  erection  of  noble  monuments  or  art : columnar  edifices  whose  pediments  and  walls  shall 
breathe  their  story  in  living  forms  of  art  by  the  plastic  hands  of  the  artist  sculptor  and  our 
bridges,  parks  and  driveways  be  adorned  with  fairy  fountains,  statuary,  and  terraced  walks,  and  all 
executed  in  the  everlasting  adamantine  cement.” 

In  Defense  of  Concrete. 

lie  would  he  a bold  prognosticator  who  would  attempt  to  define  a limit  for  the  future  uses  of 
concrete.  This  has  aptly  been  termed  the  Age  of  Cement,  and  so  of  concrete.  We  are  walking  on  it. 
riding  on  it.  eating  our  daily  bread  from  grain  stored  in  concrete  elevators,  taking  our  drinking 
water  from  concrete  reservoirs  aud  cisterns,  living  and  doing  business  in  houses  constructed  of  con- 
crete, sanitating  our  cities  with  sewers  of  concrete  and  last,  but  not  least,  enterprising  undertakers 
are  offering  us  the  opportunity  of  taking  our  final  rest  in  concrete  burial  cases  deposited  in  concrete 
tombs,  surmounted  by  concrete  monuments,  sacred  to  our  evanescent  memories. 

The  qualities  of  concrete  as  a fire-resisting  material  have  been  so  often  demonstrated  through 
experiments  and  tests,  and  lately  exemplified  and  emphasized  in  actual  practice  in  the  Baltimore  fire 
of  February,  1904,  that  no  argument  is  necessary  to  establish  its  eminent  fitness  as  a fire  protecting 
armour  in  steel  construction.  With  all  the  ascendency  of  concrete  as  an  economic  constructive  mater- 
ial. it  is  yet  subject  to  the  blighting  and  retarding  influence  of  the  quack,  with  his  avaricious  eager- 
ness to  get  rich,  reaching  out  beyond  his  depth,  committing  engineering  sacrilege  and  constructive 
“hari  kari.”  following  the  path  on  which  "Fools  rush  in.  where  angels  fear  to  tread.”  Concrete 
with  its  amplitude  of  adaptibility  and  multitude  of  uses  will  enter  largely  into  the  plans  and  calcu- 
lations of  the  twentieth  century  engineer  and  it  will  inscribe  its  own  history  in  ineradicable  lines, 
as  a monumental  evidence  of  that  living  aphorism  : "The  survival  of  the  fittest." 


Cincinnati  Ball  Park  Grandstand,  Constructed  Entirely  of  Portland  Cement. 

A striking  instance  of  modern  cement  construction  is  the  new  and  elaborate  grandstand  and 
clubhouse  of  1 1 1 • - Cincinnati  (Ohio)  baseball  club.  The  length  of  the  stand  is  about  300  feet  and 
semicircular  In  form,  and  50  feet  wide,  with  a drop  of  about  10  feet  in  this  latter  distance  to  allow 
for  tlie  slope  of  tlie  seats.  The  boxes  in  front  project  ns  the  picture  shows,  about  eight  feet  beyond 
supports,  and  the  cornice  comes  out  tlie  same  distance.  This  was  done  entirely  by  using  the  concrete 
for  compression  and  twisted  steel  bars  for  tension  in  the  various  structural  members,  no  other 
steel  being  used. 

A concrete  club  house  was  built  underneath  the  grandstand.  Some  of  the  spans  in  the  grand- 
stand proper  are  .'Hi  feet  long.  The  roof  Is  also  made  of  Portland  Cement  concreti 

so 


Stadium — Harvard  University. 

Kansome  System  Reinforced  Portland  Cement  Concrete 
Throughout. 

Demonstrations  ol'  the  use  of  Portland  cement  concrete 
in  large  works  and  which  will  be  seen  by  many  thousands 
of  persons  each  year  are  the  great  Harvard  Stadium,  located 
on  (he  athletic  field  of  Harvard  University,  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  and  the  new  stadium  erected  at  New  Haven,  Conn., 
by  the  Vale  University.  Some  idea  of  the  immense  size  of 
the  work  is  given  when  it  is  stated  that  a seating  capacity 
of  40,000  is  provided  for  in  the  Yale  Stadium.  The  Harvard 
Stadium  is  1 -shaped,  1.573  feet  long  and  420  feet  wide  and 
will  seat  25,000  to  30,000  people.  Concrete  style  of  construc- 
tion is  now  becoming  very  popular  for  Stadiums  and  Grand- 
stands. one  was  also  completed  this  year  on  the  athletic  field 
of  the  Washington  University,  St.  Louis,  Mo.  its  length  is  702 
feet  and  will  seat  10,000  people. 


Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Decatur,  III. 


The  largest  and  most  beautiful  piece  of  Port- 
land cement  construction  in  the  west  is  probably 
the  new  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  recently 
located  in  Decatur,  111.  A fair  idea  of  the  grace 
and  elegance  of  the  design  and  convenience  of 
arrangement  may  be  obtained  from  the  above 
photograph.  The  exterior  dimensions  of  this 
handsome  edifice  are  108x132  feet.  “We  produce 
from  Hock  Products.” 


Coffins  of  Concrete. 

A new  feature  in  concrete  construction  is  that  of  the  cement  coffin.  While  the  outside  box  of  concrete  is  already 
quite  common,  the  coffin  itself  is  something  of  an  innovation.  However,  several  designs  are  now  upon  the  market  and  are 
being  favorably  received.  As  a rule  these  caskets  have  steel  ribs  but  the  main  part  is  cement.  The  material  can  he 
molded  into  any  shape  desired  and  the  finished  caskets  have  the  appearance  of  the  finest  cloth  or  polished  wood. 
In  point  of  looks  and  finish  they  will  have  no  superior,  while  as  to  strength  and  stability  they  will  have  no  equal. 
Cement  caskets  are  impervious  to  water,  vermin  and  all  manner  of  things  tending  to  destroy  it  or  its  contents. 


University  Course  in  Concrete. 

Syracuse  (X.  Y.)  University  have  in  contemplation  a com- 
plete course  upon  cement  and  concrete  construction.  At  pres- 
ent the  engineering  department  includes  lectures  on  the  theory 
and  practice  of_  cement  manufacture  and  work  in  testing 
cement.  There  is  in  course  of  erection  a building  to  he  de- 
voted exclusively  to  this  branch  of  instruction. 


Mr.  .Tames  .T.  Hill.  President  of  the  Great  Northern 
Railroad,  purchased  twelve  hundred  tons  of  Belgian  Ce- 
ment for  use  in  lining  a tunnel  to  he  built  by  his  Com- 
pany, east  of  Seattle,  and  a fleet  of  sailers  has  been  char- 
tered to  import  the  Cement. — Cement  anil  Engineering 
Xeics,  December.  1902. 


A Portland  Cement  Monument. 

This  monument  is  24  feet  high.  14  feet  wide.  6 feet 
thick,  and  contains  over  80  tons  of  Portland  Cement 
concrete.  It  has  22  medallion  heads  around  the  base  and 
6 full  length  statues  above.  The  monument  is  one  solid 
mass  without  break  or  joint,  cast  where  it  stands  en- 
tirely from  Portland  Cement,  and  required  less  than 
three  days  chiseling  and  dressing  to  put  it  into  present- 
able form.  It  is  the  work  of  the  sculptor  Warren  S. 
Cushman,  of  Bellefontaine,  Ohio. 


Germania. 

Entire  Construction  of  Portland  Cement. 

This  statue,  with  its  impressive  surroundings,  was 
erected  at  the  World's  Fair.  Chicago,  to  show  the  possi- 
bilities of  Portland  Cement  in  art.  Steps,  floors,  urns, 
tablets,  pavilion  and  statue  were  all  cast  solid  in  Port- 
land Cement.  To  builders,  road-makers,  pavement-layers, 
students  in  cement  and  even  sculptors,  this  majestic  out- 
door  German  exhibit  offered  lessons  both  in  art  and  ex- 
perience. for  which  the  world  to-day  owes  its  gratitude. 


The  manufacture  of  concrete  fence  posts  along  with  other  Portland  cement  products  has 
become  a great  industry.  One  hundred  and  fifty-nine  patents  have  been  issued  for  cement  posts  in 
the  United  States.  The  consumption  of  cement  posts  in  this  country  today  is  enormous  and  a 
conservative  estimate  shows  the  approximate  number  of  concrete  posts  in  use’ in  the  United  States 
at  the  present  time  to  be  3,446,345.  Railroad  companies,  ranch  owners,  and  farmers  throughout 
the  country  are  using  cement  posts  in  large  quantities  and  the  demand  is  rapidly  increasing.  “Post 
timber  in  almost  every  state  is  practically  exhausted. 

The  advantages  of  cement  posts  ai'e  obvious.  Since  cement  undergoes  no  deterioration  in  the 
earth,  the  posts  will  not  need  to  be  replaced,  as  is  the  case  with  timber  posts,  which  decay  in  a 
few  years  Another  point  in  their  favor  is  their  fire  resisting  quality.  In  many  of  our  western 
states,  miles  of  fence  are  destroyed  annually  by  prairie  fires.  The  recent  fire  at  Baltimore  has 
amply  demonstrated  the  reliability  of  cement  in  this  particular,  so  it  is  seen  that  cement  posts  may 
withstand  any  fire  to  which  they  may  be  exposed.  There  is  no  wear  on  a fence  post  other  than  the 
exposure  to  the  elements.  Cement  has  amply  demonstrated  its  ability  to  withstand  such  wear 
indefinitely,  as  many  structures  built  by  the  Romans  bear  testimony. 


Portland  Cement  Silo. 

On  the  farm  of  Thomas  Hodgins,  Loudon,  Oat.  Peninsular  Cement  used  exclusively. 


Water  Tank  constructed  entirely  of  Portland  Cement,  at  Clark  Lake, 
Michigan:  capacity.  25  barrels.  Thousands  of  these  tanks 
are  now  being  cons  ructed  throughout  the  country. 


1 1 1..\ t i.Mi.vi  concrete  construction  for  farmers’  use  Is 

now  a regular  topic  for  discussion  at  Farmers’  Institutes,  in 
state  and  county  meetings.  The  farm  papers  are  likewise  push- 
mg  cement  construction.  There  is  scarcely  an  issue  that  does 
not  contain  articles  on  this  subject.  Nearly  every  farmer  has 
almost  unlimited  capital  in  his  supplies  of  sand  and  gravel 
w nicli  could  be  utilized  in  building  permanent  walls,  making 
cement  posts,  watering  troughs,  tanks,  silos,  gutters,  reser- 
voirs, floors,  walks,  etc.,  etc.,  not  to  mention  its  importance  in 
the  construction  of  farm  buildings  and  residences.  In  the  use 
of  cement  the  farmer  becomes,  in  the  truest  sense]  a capitalist, 
lie  is  his  own  employer,  and  his  hired  help  can  be  turned  to 
this  work  wheuever  lack  ol  other  work  affords  opportunity. 
Spring  is  the  best  time  to  begin  cement  work,  because  then  the 
air  is  moist  and  assists  cement  work  in  setting  and  becoming 
properly  cured. 


Concrete  Block  Farm  House. 

Warm  in  winter,  cool  In  summer,  dry,  sanitary,  perfectly  tire,  vermin  and  frost  proof. 


A Recent  Example  of  Concrete  Construction. 

INTERIOR  VIEW  OF  ROBERT  GAIR  CO.  STABLES,  COR.  WATER  AND  MAIN  STS.,  BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 

The  stable  Is  two  story  wlt-li  a loft  in  front.  Wagons  are  stored  in  the  first  tloor,  which  has  a cellar  span  fiiixs.s  feet— no 
posts  or  columns  have  been  constructed.  On  an  alley  atone  side  of  the  building  Is  a runway,  used  for  horses  to  go  t< 
second  tloor.  This  run  Is  also  built  of  concrete.  The  front  portion  of  the  second  story  is  livim?  ouarters  for  the  stable  man 
ami  over  this  is  a loft  In  which  Is  stored  hay  and  feed.  All  the  stalls,  floors  and  roof  are  constructed  of  reinforced  concrete 
and  also  the  partitions  dividing  the  stalls,  as  illustrated,  which  is  probably  the  first  instance  In  which  concrete  has  been  used 
for  this  purpose,  but  it  was  t he  exprees  wish  of  the  owner  that  the  structure  be  entirely  of  concrete.  These  partitions  are  3 
Inches  thick.  The  stable  tloor  for  horses  is  of  concrete,  grooved  to  drain  to  the  main  gutters  at  the  rear  of  the  stalls.  These 
stalls,  being  entirely  of  concrete  can  he  washed  out  with  a hose  each  day.  keeping  them  perfectly  sanitary. 


Re-inforcedIConcrete  Ties  Lakeside 
& Marblehead  R.  R. 


Turnout  Laid  with  Re-inforced 
Concrete  Ties 


r 

i 


i- 3" 


Concrete  Ties  Re-inforced  with  Old  Worn-  Re-inforced  Concrete  Ties  as  Designed  for 
out  "T”  Rails,  L.  S.  & M.  S.  Ry.  Wabash  R.  R. 


The  irc.st  important  question  confronting  all  railroads  today  is  the  roadbed  situation. 
Every  important  railroad  in  the  country  is  experimenting  with  Concrete  railroad  ties. 


Concrete  Ties  Pere  Marquette  Railroad.  Placed  in  November.  1901.  and  Since  Used  Successfully  by  Several  Railroads 

These  ties  consist  of  two  blocks  of  concrete,  one  under  each  rail,  the  blocks  measure  3 feet 
long  by  !)  inches  wide  and  7 inches  deep  and  are  placed  symmetrically  under  each  rail  so  that  the 
center  pressure  and  center  figure  of  each  section  on  it  will  coincide,  these  two  blocks  of  concrete 
make  one  tie  and  are  rigidly  connected  by  being  molded  on  the  ends  of  a pair  of  3 inch  channels 
weighing  3 lbs.  per  foot.  Hardwood  blocks,  designed  to  cushion  shocks,  distribute  pressure,  support 
derailed  trucks  and  serve  as  spiking  blocks,  are  secured  on  the  top  of  the  concrete  blocks.  Of  all 
ties  put  in  this  form,  from  first  to  last,  none  have  failed,  neither  has  there  been  a particle  of  change 
in  the  line  of  gauge  or  surface  of  the  track. 


84 


Testing  Concrete  Railroad  Ties.  Twelve  Degree  Curve  Laid  with  Re-inlorced  ConcreteTies 


German  Concrete  Railway  Ties. 

We  illustrate  a section  of  the  German  state  railway  near  Briesen,  Germany,  laid  with 
armored  Portland  Cement  concrete  ties.  The  rails  are  fixed  to  the  ties  by  an  automatic  lock- 
ing device  in  which  the  grip  between  the  tie-hooks  and  rail  is  increased  directly  in  propor- 
tion to  the  weight  of  the  train  or  individual  car  passing  over  the  rail,  in  other  words  the 
grip  of  the  hook  plates  on  the  rail  automatically  adjusts  itself  to  the  load.  The  rail  hook 
plate  releases  its  tight  grip  on  the  rail  as  soon  as  the  load  of  the  train  or  individual  car  has 
passed.  The  object  of  this  automatic  rail  gripping  device  is  to  give  some  degree  of  elasticity 
to  the  roadbed  ; where  concrete  ties  are  used,  a ridged  bond  between  the  rail  and  concrete  tie 
does  not  give  sufficient  elasticity  in  actual  service  to  be  economical  on  the  rolling  stock. 

This  particular  section  of  roadbed  at  Briesen  station  has  been  in  actual  use  since 
September  2S,  1S9T.  on  side  tracks  as  well  as  on  the  main  line  under  heavy  traffic.  The  ties 
are  in  perfect  condition  to-day. 

A cement  railroad  tie.  the  invention  of  C.  A.  Ford,  of  Albion,  Mich.,  is  now  being 
tested  by  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad,  and  it  is  reported  as  being  very  satisfactory  in 
every  way. 


85 


Concrete  Railroad  Ties. 


The  demand  for  railway  cross  ties  increases  each  year.  The  scarcity  of  suitable 
timber  has  caused  the  price  to  rise  until  it  is  questionable  whether  it  is  economical  to 
use  wooden  ties  when  a good  reinforced  concrete  tie  can  be  had.  Immense  quantities 
of  ties  are  used  annually  for  the  construction  of  electric  railways,  and  the  consump- 
tion of  ties  from  this  source  alone  is  bound  to  increase  largely  and  must  be  added 
to  the  number  required  for  steam  roads. 

There  are  about  286,262  miles  of  ordinary  steam  railroad  in  the  L’nited  States, 
using  an  average  of  3,000  ties  to  the  mile,  so  that  858,786,000  ties  have  gone  into  their 
construction.  Figuring  the  average  life  of  a tie  at  10  years,  10  per  cent  of  the  ties 
now  in  use  must  be  renewed  annually,  making  a yearly  demand  for  renewals  of  90,000,- 
000  ties,  not  considering  new  construction,  which  amounts  to  about  6,000  miles  of  track 
per  year,  and  requires  18,000.000  additional  ties.  This  makes  the  total  annual  consump- 
tion about  110,000,000  ties.  These  figures  do  not  include  electric  railways,  elevated  rail- 
ways, subways  or  private  railways  used  for  mining,  etc. 

The  real  demands  of  the  da}'  with  reference  to  “permanent  way”  so-called  are 
that  track  construction  be  made  really  “permanent.”  It  is  a serious  matter  which  is  ra- 
pidly growing  in  importance  and  is  receiving  more  and  more  attention  from  year  to 
year.  Railway  managers  are  certainly  justified  in  worrying  over  the  tie  question.  The 
use  of  reinforced  ties  has  for  a long  time  been  seriously  considered,  not  only  by 
inventors,  but  by  the  railroad  companies  themselves.  Tests  of  different  forms  and  de- 
signs of  concrete  railroad  ties  are  continually  being  carried  on  by  nearly  all  the  old 
line  railroad  companies  and  as,  in  most  instances,  they  are  proving  highly  efficient  there 
is  little  doubt  but  that  ultimately  ties  of  this  construction  will  supersede  other  forms 
as  scientific  reinforcement,  with  properly  distributed  metal  gives  a very  durable  and 
satisfactory  cross  tie. 

MAINTENANCE. 

Concrete  railroad  ties  have  many  evidences  of  merit  to  commend  them,  none  the 
less  of  which  is  the  item  of  maintenance.  But  little  thought  is  given  this  subject  by 
the  general  public  and  it  is  scarcely  known  to  them  that  the  tamping  of  ties,  being  a 
part  of  the  work  commonly  known  among  maintenance  of  way  men  as  “surfacing,”  is 
the  most  important  and  expensive  part  of  maintaining  the  track  in  condition  for 
traffic,  amounting  as  it  does  to  something  like  $150  per  mile  per  year  on  the  average 
for  heavy  traffic  roads.  Practical  tests  have  found  a large  saving  in  this  as  well  as  in 
several  items  of  ordinary  track  work  by  the  use  of  the  more  permanent  material. 
Wherever  wooden  ties  are  used  the  embedment  is  necessarily  impaired  in  several 
places  in  each  rail  length  each  year  in  order  to  renew  decayed  ties  with  sound  ones. 
This  disturbance  requires  tamping  of  the  new  ties  at  least  twice  in  order  to  obtain 
equality  of  supporting  conditions,  but  usually  some  roughness  to  track  surface  results 
before  such  equality  is  obtained.  With  the  concrete  tie  all  such  work  as  adzing  ties  to 
return  canted  rails  to  normal  positions,  regauging  rails,  and  shifting  of  ties  to  restore 
normal  spacing  after  derangement  by  rail  creeping  is  avoided.  1 he  definite  money 
value  of  the  expense  in  maintenance  thus  saved  is  tremendous,  and  this  fact  alone  is 
stimulating  the  future  use  of  concrete  ties  to  a great  extent. 

ROADBED  OF  CONCRETE. 

An  important  experiment  in  concrete  construction  was  begun  October  31st  by  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  when  it  started  500  men  at  work  constructing  a con- 
crete roadbed  on  the  main  line  near  Williamstown  and  Rouks,  Pa.  The  matter  of 
concrete  roadbed  construction  on  the  main  line  has  been  under  consideration  by  the  en- 
gineering department  of  the  Pennsylvania  System  for  some  time.  The  present  construc- 
tion is  intended  as  a test  and  will  lie  carefully  studied  by  railroad  men  throughout  the 
country.  A solid  substructure  of  concrete  will  be  laid  under  the  four  tracks  of  the 
main  line  for  ties,  rails  and  ballast.  In  addition  to  securing  a smoother  running  road, 
it  is  expected  that  a great  saving  will  be  made  through  the  longer  life  given  to  the 
cross  ties.  If  the  experimental  road  proves  a success  this  form  of  construction  will 
be  extended  until  concrete  is  one  of  the  most  important  agencies  in  railway  building. 

S6 


The  Destruction  and  Rebuilding  of  San  Francisco- 


San  Francisco,  through  the  combined  agencies  of  earthquake  shocks  and  fire,  has 
been  practically  wiped  out  of  existence.  The  disaster  stands  without  a parallel  in 
modern  history.  Frame,  brick  and  structural  steel  buildings  were  wrecked  and  totally 
destroyed.  The  modern  skyscrapers,  with  their  steel  frame  and  terra  cotta  and  brick 
walls,  were  an  easy  prey  to  the  shock,  which  separated  the  light  curtain  walls  from 
the  now  distorted  steel  skeleton.  As  appalling  as  was  the  earthquake,  had  it  not 
been  for  the  combustible  nature  of  the  majority  of  buildings,  resulting  in  fire,  the 
property  loss  would  have  been  a mere  fraction  of  the  present.  With  a great  part  of  her 
population  homeless,  and  with  shattered,  fire-swept  ruins  still  smouldering,  there  is 
already  manifest  in  San  Francisco  that  spirit  which  proclaims  that  a new  and  greater 
city  will  rise  from  the  ashes  of  the  metropolis  destroyed.  And  may  we  say,  even  at  this 
early  day,  that  the  keynote  in  the  plan  of  restoration  has  been  sounded.  Here  was 
something  more  fearful  than  fire,  for  it  destroyed  in  a moment  all  known  devices  to 
check  conflagration  and  left  the  town  at  the  mercy  of  two  terribly  destructive  forces. 
Looking  to  the  future  then,  the  people  of  San  Francisco  realize  that  in  addition  to 
fireproof  considerations  there  must  be  that  which  will  withstand  shock,  a form  of 
construction  anchored  firmly  and  deep,  a type  of  building  not  composed  of  units  that 
can  be  shaken  asunder,  but  solid  and  monolithic  masses,  so  that  every  feature  and 
fragment  shall  be  an  integral  part  of  the  whole.  Need  we  say  that  this  means  concrete? 

The  class  of  building  that  best  withstood  the  destructive  shocks  of  earthquake 
and  fire  was  monolithic  Portland  Cement  concrete.  The  reinforced  concrete  Bell 
Tower  building  of  the  Mills  Seminary,  which,  although  it  is  some  eighty  feet  in  height, 
was  not  even  cracked  by  the  severe  shaking  to  which  it  was  subjected.  The  Museum 
Building  and  Roble  Hall,  of  Stanford  University,  both  built  of  reinforced  concrete,  are 
standing  practically  intact  amid  the  wide-spread  ruin,  and  in  some  cases  the  absolute 
demolition  of  the  other  buildings  of  the  University,  all  of  which  were  massively  con- 
structed with  a special  view  to  withstanding  earthquake  shocks.  Two  wings,  built 
of  brick,  had  been  added  to  the  Museum  Building  since  its  completion  and  these  were 
thrown  completely  down,  while  the  concrete  structure  passed  through  the  ordeal  satis- 
factorily. Among  the  ruins  of  San  Francisco  are  found  steel  structures  encased  in 
Portland  Cement  concrete  and  though  the  buildings  have  been  blown  up  by  dynamite 
and  the  steel  work  thrown  into  the  street,  the  concrete  still  sticks  tenaciously  to  the 
steel.  A four  story  reinforced  concrete  building,  standing  in  the  center  of  the  earth- 
quake's zone  and  the  burned  district  of  San  Francisco,  was  subjected  to  the  most 
intense  heat  created  by  the  conflagration  and  stands  today,  very  little  damaged  either 
by  the  earthquake  preceding  the  fire,  or  by  the  fire  itself.  In  fact,  practically  all  Port- 
land Cement  concrete  structures  within  the  earthquake’s  radius  escaped  unharmed. 

In  the  City  of  Mexico,  where  disasters  of  the  kind  that  destroyed  San  Francisco 
had  to  be  taken  into  account,  the  handsome  Capitol  is  of  steel-concrete  construction. 
In  brief,  it  is  a gigantic  steel  cage,  encased  in  concrete,  making  a compact,  solid  mass, 
which,  it  is  believed,  only  a frightful  upheaval  could  destro}^.  We  are  not  alone  in 
citing  this  example  as  suggestive  in  the  rebuilding  of  San  Francisco.  Engineers  have 
already  pointed  to  it  as  the  only  safe  type  of  structures  in  latitudes  subject  to  earth- 
quakes. Indeed,  the  whole  history  of  San  Francisco  abounds  in  illustrations  which 
emphasize  what  can  merely  be  hinted  at  in  this  instance.  Take  the  history  of  the 
shattered  frame  buildings,  and  the  destruction  of  her  noblest  edifices  in  brick  and 
stone,  her  perishable  wharves  and  docks,  with  their  teredo-infested  piling.  It  is  no 
wonder  that  engineers  and  architects  see  little  hope  to  encourage  effort  along  former 
lines.  The  best  that  they  could  devise  failed  under  this  supreme  test,  but  in  their 
dilemma  they  have  new  examples  and  resources  presented  in  concrete  construction. 
For  withstanding  both  shock  and  fire  the  perfect  combination  of  Portland  Cement  con- 
crete and  steel  will  be  the  ideal  material.  This  form  of  construction  upon  concrete 
pile  foundation  will  approach  the  highest  degree  of  safety.  It  is  possible  to  build 
practically,  if  not  absolutely  fireproof.  More  has  been  done  in  this  direction  since 
the  great  fires  of  Toronto,  Baltimore  and  Rochester  and  the  advent  of  reinforced  con- 
crete buildings,  now  common  in  nearly  all  sections  of  the  country,  than  ever  before. 
This  form  of  fireproofing,  which  is  becoming  so  common  with  factories  and  ware- 
houses, can  be  profitably  extended  to  smaller  stores  and  residences,  with  a saving  of  the 
larger  part  of  the  millions  heretofore  lost.  Along  this  line  it  is  safe  to  say  that  San 
Francisco  is  destined  to  contribute  immeasurably  to  the  sum  total  of  our  knowledge, 
just  as  her  great  misfortune  has  made  clear  where  we  have  erred. 

&7 


Portland  Cement  Concrete  Hotel  and  Depot  Buildings. 

The  Atchison.  Topeka  & Santa  I'e  Hailwa.v  Co.  lias  erected  a magnificent  hotel,  the 
Alverndo.  and  depot  Intildlngs  at  Allni<|UOi|iio,  N.  XI..  constructed  of  Portland  Cement  concrete 
In  the  old  Spanish  mission  style  after  the  plans  of  C.  F.  Whittlesey,  architect,  of  Chicago. 
The  hotel  is  over  .'loo  feet  long,  built  around  a court  or  paristyle  and  is  connected  by  a 
200-foot  arcade  with  the  new  depot  which  is  shown  on  the  left,  while  the  hotel  is  shown  on 
the  extreme  right  hand  of  illustration.  The  entire  collection  of  buildings  represent  the  most 
elaborate,  arllslle  and  plcturesipie  design  in  concrete  construction  heretofore  attempted  and 
carried  out  by  a railway  corporation. 

se 


Portland  Cement  Butt  for  Telegraph  Poles. 

By  the  use  of  the  cement  butt  old  rotten  poles  are  simply  cut  off  where  they  are  decayed 
and  reseated  on  a permanent  cement  footing,  which  restores  the  old  pole  to  its  original  height. 
A line  of  poles  in  actual  service  can  be  easily  rebuilt  without  disturbing  the  wires  carried  overhead 
or  removing  the  p:;b  from  its  standing  post t ten  It  to  estimated  that  i savin,-;  of  from  SS  to  -iz 
per  cent,  is  made  in  reconstruction  by  the  use  of  the  cement  butt  on  poles  carrying  overhead  wires. 
New  poles  can  lie  purchased  tive  feet  shorter  and  the  cement  butt  added  to'  give  it  the  length 
required,  thereby  making  a saving  in  the  first  cost:  in  all  future  renewals  of  the  line.  The  cement 
butt  is  a conspicuous  example  of  the  invasion  of  Portland  Cement  specialties  into  other  fields,  and 
gradually  displacing  in  whole  or  in  part  the  old  materials  of  construction. 

Cement  butts  have  been  in  use  for  the  last  three  years,  and  have  proved  most  satisfactory. 
Fence  posts  made  entirely  of  this  material  are  now  in  general  use.  and  it  seems  apparent  that  tlie 
day  is  not  far  distant  when  all  telegraph,  telephone  and  trolley  poles  will  also  be  made  exclusively 
of  this  material. 

This  is  Distinctly  a Constructive  Era.— The  Chicago  Underground  Rail- 
way stands  as  one  of  the  great  engineering  feats  of  the  present  century.  Only  re- 
cently the  New  York  Subway  has  been  opened  and  attracted  almost  world  wide 
attention.  Similar  subways  are  now  being  undertaken  in  many  of  the  large  cities, 
and  the  dock  and  harbor  improvements  of  this  country  are  becoming  immense.  The 
Panama  canal  is  being  built,  the  Erie  canal  enlarged  and  other  similar  gigantic  projects 
undertaken.  In  all  of  these  the  one  material  which  has  entered  into  the  construction 
more  than  any  other  and  which  has  made  these  possible  is  Portland  cement  concrete. 
Improved  methods  of  handling  this  material  are  every  day  being  devised  and  the  cost 
of  construction  made  a mere  fraction  of  the  stone  masonry  formerly  employed.  The 
results  are  also  infinitely  better.  We  are  now  beginning  to  build  not  temporarily,  as 
heretofore,  but  for  all  time.  The  great  constructive  era  and  the  cement  concrete  age 
go  hand  in  hand. 


Sectional  View  of  the  Pennsylvania  Concrete  Railroad  Tunnel  Beneath  the  Hudson  and 


East  Rivers. 


in  Manhattan  Stbfnrt J *1*  by  ’ the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  is  securing  a terminal  station 
Island  and  thiough  connections  with  the  Long  Island  Railroad  system  The  new  ter- 
minal station,  covering  four  city  blocks,  in  addition  to  being  largely  constructed  of  cement  is  also 
bui  dim-  aUnT;6  abutments  40  feet  square  and  50  feet  deep.  The  amount  of  concrete  used  in  this 
buildin„  alone  is  enoimous  and  it  will  be  one  of  the  greatest  structures  of  its  kind  in  existence. 


N BIRSIV. 


W HOBO A [N 


WffHAWXEN 


Diagram  Showing  the  Line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Concrete  Tunnel  Under  the  Hudson 

and  East  Rivers. 


The  total  length  of  the  tunnel  from  New  Jersey  to 
Outside  diameter  of  the  tunnel  is  23  feet.  There  are  now  16 
Island.  Portland  cement  concrete  is  the  material  now  used, 
tion.  Millions  of  barrels  of  cement  are  now  consumed  annual! 


Long  Island  is  six  and  one-half  miles, 
subaqueous  tunnels  entering  Manhattan 
whether  it  be  bridge  or  tunnel  construc- 
y in  tunnels  and  subways. 


First  Mail  Arriving  at  Postoffice  Station  Chicago  Concrete  Underground  Railway,  March  10,  ’06. 

Chicago  today  is  the  greatest  mail  center  on  the  continent.  Eight  hundred  tons  of  this 
concentrated  commerce  flows  through  her  gates  every  twenty-four  hours.  The  new  underground  tun- 
nrl  railway  which  began  handling  the  mails  on  March  10th  is  one  of  the  greatest  improvements  ever 
inaugurated  in  mail  service.  The  mail  is  brought  on  electric  cars  through  this  concrete  tunnel  40 
leet  underground  and  delivered  to  an  endless  belt  conveyor,  which  in  turn  carries  the  sacks  to  the 
postal  clerks  in  the  post-office  basement.  This  is  the  system  now  employed  between  the  post-office 
and  ail  the  railway  stations  and  this  method  of  handling  mails  passing  through  Chicago  marks  a new 
regime  in  the  rapid  transit  of  mail  matter  and  would  have  been  considered  an  impossible  undertaking 
previous  to  the  advent  of  Portland  Cement  Concrete  Construction. 


Chicago's  Great  Concrete  Subway  Station.  "Loaded  Freight  Train  at  Street  Intersection." 

II  is  the  most  complete  and  successful  of  any  tunnel  system  in  the  world  and  is  one  of  the 
greatest  marvels  of  modern  engineering.  At  the  present  time  there  are  4,'l  miles  of  track  in  operation. 
Every  street  in  the  down-town  district  and  many  outside  streets  are  duplicated  40  feet  below 
the  surface  by  this  concrete  tunnel  system,  and  eventually  all  of  the  principle  business  streets  of 
the  city  will  lie  thus  connected.  There  are  21  different  trunk  line  railways  within  this  system. 
Including  ('•  terminal  stations  and  the  tunnels  now  reach  40  freight  houses  where  they  connect  by 
elevator  service,  endless  chain  carriers,  chutes,  etc.,  and  many  hundreds  of  connections  are  now  being 
made  in  this  manner  with  big  buildings,  wholesale  establishments  and  other  shipping  points.  There 
are  14  tunnels  under  the  Kivcr.  As  a matter  of  fact,  the  Sub-way  promises  to  solve  one  of  the  labor 
difficulties  which  has  confronted  Chicago  In  the  past.  It  Is  predicted  that  there  never  can  he  another 
teamsters'  strike  In  ibis  part  of  the  city,  because  the  Sub-way  has  a capacity  of  two  and  one-half 
tine  s the  present  tonnage  of  the  streets,  and  it  is  but  a matter  of  a short  time  when  the  bulk  of  all 
heavy  street  traffic  will  lie  curried  on  underground.  An  Interesting  test  was  made  by  the  Chicago  & 
Alton  Ity,  recently,  in  which  a car-load  of  coal  was  unloaded  and  dumped  through  a chute  into  the 
smaller  eats  of  the  Sub  way  at  Van  Karen  Street,  west  of  the  River.  It  took  one  minute  and 
twenty  seconds  to  make  the  transfer  and  eighteen  minutes  later  the  coal  was  all  deposited  in  the 
bins  of  the  First  National  Bank  Building,  almost  a mile  distant.  The  entire  Sub-way  is  electric 
lighted,  perfect  |j  <ii  \ and  eban  and  well  ventilated.  The  walls  are  made  of  Portland  Cement  Con- 
or,-te.  12  Inches  thick  with  a 14  Inch  floor. 


The  Galveston  Sea  Wall. 

A great  example  of  American  enterprise  for  fortifying  against  recurrence  of  a flood  similar  to  that  of  Sep- 
tember S,  1900,  when  the  hurricane  and  tidal  wave  so  unexpectedly  visited  Galveston  Island,  and  in  which  more 
than  six  thousand  lives  were  lost  and  property  valued  at  Twenty  Million  dollars  was  destroyed. 

The  accompanying  illustrations  give  a birdseye  view  of  this  immense  concrete  wall  during  the  different 
stages  of  its  development.  The  wall  is  about  4 miles  in  length,  16  feet  wide  at  the  base  and  5 feet  at  the  top,  and 
17  feet  high  above  the  average  low  tide. 

As  shown  by  the  sectional  views,  the  foundation  beneath  the  wall  is  also  made  of  cement  concrete  and  it 
further  rests  on  4 rows  of  piling  12  inches  in  diameter  and  44  feet  long.  Additional  protection  is  furnished  bv 
granite  riprap  extending  some  27  feet  out  into  the  Gulf.  A 100-foot  fill,  immediately  behind  the  concrete  wall,  is 
now  used  as  a speedway  and  extends  along  the  entire  length  of  the  structure.  In  all.  the  structure  required  IS. 110 
car-loads  of  material,  the  major  portion  of  which  was  Portland  cement.  It  is  another  case  of  concrete  doing  the 
work,  and  without  which  it  would  have  been  entirely  impossible  to  accomplish  such  results  in  any  where  near  the 
amount  of  time  or  within  the  contract  price. 

The  work  of  constructing  the  sea  wall  was  begun  Oct.  27th,  1902,  and  finished  July  30th.  1904. 


A REMARKABLE  DEMONSTRATION  OF  THE  ABILITY  OF  PORTLAND 
CEMENT  TO  SUCCESSFULLY  RESIST  THE  ACTION  OF  FIRE. 


Architects  and  builders  have  sounded  their  praise  to  concrete  as  a fireproof  mater- 
ial. The  ablest  scientists  have  approved  of  its  use.  Laboratory  tests  and  fire  tests  have 
demonstrated  its  value.  The  burning  of  buildings  having  cement  fireproof  floors  has 
shown  in  a most  thorough  manner  its  ability  to  resist  fire,  and  yet,  with  all  this  evi- 
dence there  has  never  been  as  perfect  and  complete  a test  brought  to  the  attention  of 
the  builders  of  the  world  as  that  contained  in  the  evidence  after  an  intense  fire  had 
raged  for  hours  in  the  factory  of  the  Pacific  Coast  Borax  Company,  at  Bayonne,  N.  J., 
on  the  night  of  April  n,  1902: 


Concrete  Portion 
After  the  Fire. — 

This  view  shows  the 
condition  of  the  con- 
crete floors,  walls 
columns  of  the  third; 

construction  sus- 
tained, without  in- 
jury, a most  severe 
test,  including  intense 
heat  and  the  application 
of  cold  water  on  its  heat- 
ed parts,  besides  resisting 
without  injury  the  fall- 
ing bodies  of  many  tons 
height.  The  concrete  is  in  perfect  condition- 
The  plaster  has  chipped  off  in  a number  of  places, 
and  excepting  one  place  where  iS  tons  falling  14  feet 
slightly  damaged  a floor  beam,  no  repairs  will  be 
necessary.  The  illustrations  offer  a true  means  of 
comparison  between  the  value  of  metal  and  concrete 
as  fireproof  material. 

Metal  Portion  After  the  Hire. — This  reproduction 
of  a photograph  shows  the  condition  of  the  heavy  metal 
columns  and  girders  in  the  one-story  part  of  the  building 
where  the  fire  was  less  intense  than  in  the  part  of  the 
building  constructed  of  cement,  and  where  the  weight  sus- 
t a i ne  d nvtne  metal  supports  was  comparatively  light.  The  tangled  mass  of  metal  bent,  twisted, 
broken  and  destroyed,  a complete  collapse,  wrecking  the  entire  building,  demonstrates  conclusively 
that  metal  becomes,  under  the  action  of  fire,  a destructive  agent,  aiding  and  not  preventing,  the  flames 


The  building  was  four  stories  high  and  covered  an 
area  of  200x250  feet.  The  roof  and  partitions  were  of  wood 
and  the  building  contained  a large  number  of  wooden 
bins,  boxes  and  barrels  and  other  combustibles.  The 
fire  originated  from  the  bursting  of  an  oil  main,  which 
supplied  fuel  to  the  flames.  The  entire  contents  of  the 
building  were  destroyed.  The  extreme  high  temperature 
reached  fused  the  cast  irou  parts  of  the  machinery,  while 
the  walls  and  floors  of  the  building,  of  cement  con- 
crete construction,  were  scarcely  injured.  The 
repairs  to  this  part  of  the  building  can  be 
replaced  at  less  than  $i.ooo.  The  150  foot 
Portland  Cement  con- 
crete chimney  was  not 
damaged . 


in  their  work  of  destruction.— Cement. 


92 


Portland  Cement  Railway  Station.  Bismarck,  N.  D. 

(Showing  exterior  and  interior  view.) 


Interior  Philadelphia's  Portland  Cement  Concrete  Subway 
Before  Tracks  were  Laid. 


Reinforced  Concrete  Factory,  Northwestern  Knitting  Co., 
Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Showing  concrete  beams  and  ceiling  and  construction 
of  concrete  floor.  "We  produce  from  Municipal  Engin- 
eering." 


The  total  width  of  the  subterranean  passage  is  48%  feet,  its  height  is  14  feet  and  5 % inches,  the  same  as 
the  Boston  Subway,  which  it  resembles  in  many  respects ; and  it  is  considerably  higher  than  the  New  York  subway. 
It  is  a four-track  underground  avenue,  two  tracks  for  express  trains  and  two  for  surface  cars  which  enter  the  subway 
at  13th  St.  To  prevent  the  usual  obnoxious  odors  common  to  subways  this  project  was  constructed  along  perfectly  sani- 
tary lines  and  hence  the  entire  roadbed,  side  walls,  roof,  etc.,  were  made  entirely  of  Portland  cement  concrete.  The 
roadbed  can  be  washed  down  with  a hose  and  drained  through  sumps,  which  are  placed  at  frequent  intervals.  The 
roof  is  formed  of  concrete  arches  supported  on  beams  five  feet  apart  placed  across  the  subway.  The  side  walls  are 
solid  concrete  3%  feet  thick  reinforced  with  steel  rods  and  the  floor  is  concrete  alone.  The  rails  are  laid  in  a trench 
left  in  the  concrete,  which  forms  the  rest  of  the  roadbed.  Additional  concrete  is  then  filled  into  the  trench  even  with 
the  top  of  the  head  of  the  rail.  If  a rail  has  to  be  replaced  it  is  only  necessary  to  remove  the  concrete  in  the  trench. 
It  is  intended  that  this  tunnel  shall  traverse  the  entire  city  of  Philadelphia. 


93 


Concrete  for  P avin  g. 


Concrete  street  paving  is  one  of  the 
great  possibilities  of  the  near  future. 

Bellefontaine.  Ohio,  and  a number  of 
other  cities  have  tested  the  idea  with 
very  satisfactory  results.  There  is  no 
reason  why  concrete,  if  properly  laid 
and  surfaced,  should  not  prove  superior 
to  any  other  material  for  street  paving, 
and  the  cost  would  be  far  less  than  anv 
other  high  grade  paving.  Asphalt  has 
generally  been  regarded  as  the  ideal 
paving  from  sanitary  and  esthetic  points 
of  view,  but  it  is  very  expensive  and 
soon  wears  out  under  heavy  traffic,  and 
even  for  residence  districts  its  tendency 
to  get  slippery  when  wet  is  a serious 
disadvantage.  Its  chief  advantages  are 
that  it  is  solid  and  smooth,  but  these 
good  points  result  from  concrete  foun- 
dation and  not  from  the  asphalt.  Noth-  . 

ing  has  ever  been  found  that  is  so  'f 

economical  and  satisfactory  as  the  con-  , - 

crete  sidewalk.  Brick  and  stone  have 

become  obsolete  for  sidewalk  construction,  and  the  smooth  white  walks  of  cement  are  one 
ot  the  prominent  artistic  features  that  we  find  in  American  cities.  A smooth  cement  surface 
would  not  afford  good  footing  on  a street  pavement,  but  it  is  a simple  matter  to  mold  the 
surtace  with  shallow  corrugations  or  checks  that  protects  the  horse  and  at  the  same  time 
affords  as  smooth  a road  for  the  wheel  as  the  asphalt,  and  we  then  have  a solid,  durable, 
economical  pavement  that  is  far  superior  to  asphalt  or  any  other  material ; an.  ideal  paving 
for  the  heavy  team  as  well  as  for  the  carriage  and  the  automobile.  It  is  easy  to  keep  clean, 
and  no  other  paving  ever  designed  is  so  easy  to  repair.  One  trouble  with  brick  and  granite 
blocks  is  that  the  ground  is  liable  to  settle  in  spots  under  them,  and  make  depressions  which 
eventually  grow  into  holes  unless  they  are  promptly  repaired.  Concrete,  however,  forms  a 
solid  arched  bridge  over  the  entire  breadth  of  the  street,  so  that,  if  a hole  were  dug  under  it 
five  or  ten  feet  across,  it  would  not  sink  or  break  under  a heavv  wagon.. 


PAVtr  WITH  Po«TL*ND  Cent**'  dClwC.rONTMt't.  6T 





Portland  Cement  Concrete  Pavement. 


Bellekountaine,  Ohio,  and  Grand  Rapids.  Mich. 

Tile  base  of  the  pavement  is  made  of  1 part  Portland  Cement,  3 parts  sand  and  5 parts 
screened  aravel.  The  top  Is  1 part  cement  to  It  parts  sand.  Coarse  brush  finish  was  ■riven 
the  surface,  similar  pavements  are  now  in  general  use  in  many  other  cities  and  are  "ivin" 
splendid  satisfaction  In  many  instances  have  stood  years  of  wear  without  the  expenditure  of 
a dollar  for  repairs,  and  are  still  in  perfect  condition.  Philadelphia.  Pa..  New  Orleans  la 
and  many  other  cities  are  using  Portland  Cement  paving  quite  extensively. 

In  various  parts  of  England.  Germany  and  other  European  countries  cement 
pavements  have  been  In  use  for  years. 


concrete 


‘ 


cut  is  shown  the 
crete  storage  bins 
o f construction 
entire  outfit  after 
e n t ir  e tank 
Portland  c e - 
planned  some- 
pea  n models 
qualified  suc- 
This  outfit 
tery  of  30 
vator  tanks, 
in  diameter, 


In  this 
Peavey  con- 
during  course 
and  also  the 
completion.  Th 
structure  is 
ment  concrete  a 
what  after  Euro- 
that  have  given  un- 
cess  for  years, 
consists  of  a bat-  ■ 
concrete  grain  ele- 

each  over  100  feet  in  height  and  mVe  \han  (bpe-third  as  much 
with  a total  capacity  of  3,000,000  bushels  of  grain.  On  Saturday  evening,  Feb. 
17th,  1906,  the  large  wooden  structure  shown  at  the  right  of  this  terminal 

system,  containing  nearly  a million  bushels  of  grain,  was  entirely  destroyed  by 
fire,  and  the  fire-resisting  qualities  of  the  concrete  bins  adjacent  were  thoroughly 
tested.  The  concrete  annex  containing  over  2,500,000  bushels  of  mixed  grain  was  ex- 
posed for  hours,  at  a distance  of  but  35  feet,  to  the  intense  heat  of  the  burning  struc- 
ture and  grain,  estimated  by  engineers  to  be  at  least  1,800  degrees  Fahrenheit,  and 
passed  through  this  conflagration  without  showing  the  slightest  injury  either  to  the 
concrete  tanks  or  to  the  grain  stored  therein.  Notwithstanding  the  intense  heat  from 
the  millions  of  feet  of  dry  lumber  in  the  wooden  structure  and  the  938,000  bushels  of 
grain  consumed,  which  was  sufficient  to  fuse  the  structural  steel  and  “t”  rails  between 
the  two  buildings,  preventing  the  approach  of  the  firemen  within  several  hundred  feet, 
the  8 to  12  inches  of  cement  concrete,  forming  the  walls  of  the  nearest  line  of 
tanks,  gave  ample  protection  to  the  grain  stored  therein  and  an  examination  showed 
the  concrete  structure  intact  and  the  grain  uninjured,  clean  and  even  cool  to  the 
touch.  The  total  loss  of  the  burned  elevator  was  $985,000  and  the  value  of  the  grain 
which  was  protected  and  saved  intact  by  the  concrete  annex  had  a market  value  of 
$2,225,000.  Mr.  A.  L.  Searle,  manager  of  the  Peavey  Elevator  Co.,  is  enthusiastic 
over  the  way  the  concrete  bins  stood  the  heat.  He  says,  “The  experience  we  have 
just  had  demonstrates  to  my  satisfaction  that  the  cement  concrete  storage  elevators  are 
the  best  of  all  fire  proof  houses.” 


The  beautiful  Club  House  of  the  Detroit  Boat  Club,  Belle  Isle,  is  of  Port- 
land Cement  concrete  construction  throughout. 


Creosoted  Wooden  Piles.  Showing  the  Effect  of  the  Teredo  and  Limnoria. 
From  a photograph  taken  at  San  Francisco  a few  days  before  the  earthquake. 


CONCRETE  ON  THE  PACIFIC  COAST. 

Some  of  the  lessons  that  (he  recent  disaster  has  taught  the  building  world,  and  the  plans 
for  the  foundation  work  that  will  support  the  rebuilt  cities. 

The  accompanying  pictures  are  of  timely  interest  in  that  they  were  taken  in  San  Fran- 
cisco only  a few  days  before  the  recent  earthquake  disaster.  They  show  the  effect  of  the  teredo 
and  limnoria  on  wooden  piles  exposed  to  the  salt  water  on  the  western  coast  and  offer  still 
another  conclusive  argument  for  the  use  of  reinforced  concrete  for  foundation  work  in  the 
rebuilding  of  the  destroyed  cities.  The  upper  picture  shows  a creosoted  wooden  pile  in  San 
Francisco  almost  entirely  destroyed  by  the  teredo  and  limnoria.  In  the  vicinity  of  Puget 
Sound.  Mr.  Stewart.  Assistant  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Great  Northern  Railway,  states  that  a stick 
of  timber,  rough  sawed,  will  last  about  eight  months:  a peeled  pile  will  last  a year:  a pile 
with  the  bark  on  will  last  a year  and  a half  and  a creosoted  pile  will  last  upwards  of  fifteen 
months.  These  pile,  as  well  as  the  wharves  and  docks  and  other  water  front  property,  are 
subject  to  total  destruction  by  teredo  and  other  marine  creatures  which  devour  piling.  Refer- 
ring to  the  recent  disaster.  Mr.  Frank  B.  Gilbreth,  the  New  York  contractor  who  has  many 
large  structural  enterprises  under  way  on  the  western  coast,  states:  “While  it  is  practically 
impossible  to  put  up  any  structure  which  is  able  to  withstand  an  earthquake  shock  of  great 
Intensity  and  varying  motion,  it  is  possible  to  erect  buildings  capable  of  weathering  a shock 
such  as  the  recent  one  in  San  Francisco.  The  great  devastation  resulted  more  from  the  flame 
than  the  earthquake  itself,  and  this  fact  emphasizes  the  importance  of  using  reinforced  con- 
crete for  fireproof  structures.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  if  the  business  section  of  the  city  had  been 
constructed  of  reinforced  concrete,  the  fire  resulting  from  the  upheaval  would  never  have  gained 
headway."  The  Columbia  Improvement  Company,  of  Seattle,  for  which  Mr.  Gilbreth  is  build- 
ing a $500,000  plant,  has  already  taken  warning  from  the  San  Francisco  cataclysm,  and  In 
building  a half-million  dollar  power  house  has  ordered  a monolithic  concrete  construction  to 
insure  the  maximum  stability. 


Wooden  Piles  and  the  Hull  ol  a Wooden  Vessel,  Showing  the  Destruction  Wrought 
by  the  Teredo  and  Limnoria, 

From  a photograph  taken  April  17,  1906. 


96 


This  illustration  shows  armored  cement  concrete  piles  being  driven  for  wharf  purposes  at. 
Southampton.  England.  These  piles  are  jointed  and  constitute  a real,  substantial  wall  of  the 
most  approved  construction.  Numerous  applications  of  these  piles  have  been  made  for  the 
foundations  as  well  as  for  wharf  walls.  They  are  indestructible  as  well  amongst  the  atmos- 
pheric agents  as  bv  the  creatures  (teredos,  etc.),  which  live  in  the  warm  seas.  In  Holland  all 
the  houses  have  this  foundation  on  piles  of  65  to  TO  feet.  Very  high  buildings  in  that  country, 
buildings  of  an  absolute  solidity,  are  constructed  because  the  solid  ground  can  be  reached  by 
means  of  these  rigid  foundations — armored  cement  concrete  idles. 

In  the  new  docks  of  the  IIolland-American  Line,  at  Rotterdam,  more  than  400  piles  in 
armored  cement  concrete  were  driven  to  a depth  of  6S  feet.  Each  pile  weighed  S.T00  pounds. 

For  the  foundations  of  the  bridge  of  Tangon  (France),  piles  were  employed  02  feet  long, 
driven  down  in  three  sections,  and  it  is  a very  fine  example  of  the  use  of  cement  concrete  piles. 


97 


Portland  Cement  Consumption. 


' | "HE  unusual  large  demand  for  Portland  Ce- 
ment  during  the  present  season,  together 
with  the  constantly  increasing  output,  has  evoked 
numerous  inquiries  of  what  becomes  of  the  ce- 
t produced,  and  in  what  class  of  con- 
structions the  greatest  amount  is  con- 
sumed. Fully  60  per  cent,  of  the 
kcement  output  is  consumed  in 
m u n i c i p a 1 corporations, 
large  and  small,  in  public 
and  private  constructions, 
such  as  sidewalks, 
foundations  for  street 
paving,  combined  curb 
and  gutter,  basement 
floors,  telephone  condu- 
its, bridges,  tunnels  and 
subways.  Prominent  ex- 
amples are  New  York  and 
Boston  subways  and  the 
Chicago  telephone  tunnel. 
The  latter  is  a modest  en- 
terprise as  compared  with 
the  New  York  subway, 
which  will  consume  several 
million  barrels  of  cement, 
while  the  Chicago  telephone 
tunnel  will  require  at  the  rate 
of  ioo.ooo  barrels  per  annum. 

In  government  work  vast 
quantities  of  cement  are  used  in  the 
construction  of  forts,  batteries,  gun  em- 
placements, dams  and  locks,  sea  walls, 
breakwaters,  piers,  docks  and  jetties, 
lighthouses  and  marine  dry  docks.  Large 


rough  concrete  masonry  for  pier  founda- 
tions for  office  buildings,  one  notice- 
able instance  being  the  First  National 
Bank  building  at  Chicago  now  tinder 
way.  This  building  will  be  carried 
on  i to  pier  foundations  from  g to  12 
feet  in  diameter  by  101  feet  deep 
constructed  entirely  of  cement  con- 
crete. Chicago  architects  are  advo- 
cating deep  pier  foundations,  carried 
down  to  bed  rock — built  up  of  ce- 
ment concrete,  as  the  only  safe  and 
reliable  foundation  for  high  buildings 
to  be  constructed  in  the  future  in 


Dock  foundations,  retaining  walls,  abatements, 
and  piers  above  shown  are  all  constructed  out  of 
Portland  Cement. 


Chicago.  This  will  call  for  large  or- 
ders of  Portland  Cement.  In  grain 
elevators,  large  factory  buildings  and 
power  houses,  concrete  masonry  is  the  favorite  material.  1 he  railways  find  it 
economical  to  use  concrete  for  piers,  bridges,  culverts,  retaining  walls  for  elevating 
and  depressing  their  tracks,  for  floors  and  roof  coverings  in  shops  and  depots. 

The  railways  are  likewise  beginning  the  erection  of  grain  elevatoi  tanks  at  ter- 
minal points  in  armored  concrete. — Lenient  and  Engineering  A ews,  August,  1902. 


NEW  YORK’S  BIG  CANAL. 

Cement  men  will  profit  by  the  construction  of  New  \orks  big  canal  which  will 
begin  this  year.  The  canal  will  connect  the  Great  Lakes  with  the  ocean  and  will  cost 
$ 1 00. 000.000. 00.  It  will  lie  for  deep-water  craft.  1 he  amount  of  Portland  and 
hydraulic  cement  used  in  it-  construction  will  furnish  an  important  outlet  for  these 
products. 


A Severe  Test  of  Portland  Cement 
Construction. 


For  the  first  time  in  five  years  Niagara  was  out  of  harness  Sunday,  June  i.  The 
rush  of  water  into  the  great  tunnel  of  the  Niagara  Falls  Power  Company  was  shut 
off,  and  the  full  volume  of  the  river  poured  over  the  falls.  The  managers  of  the  com- 
pany wished  to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  tunnel  after  the  discharge  of  32,400,000 
cubic  feet  of  water  each  hour  for  five  years.  At  1 :30  o'clock  that  Sunday  morning  a 
party  of  engineers  composed  of  Vice-President  William  B.  Rankine  and  Edward  D. 
Adams,  of  the  board  of  directors;  William  A.  Brackenridge,  resident  engineer,  and 
Clemens  Plerschel,  consulting  hydraulic  engineer  of  the  Niagara  Falls  Power  Company, 
and  others  put  on  rubber  suits  and  descended  into  the  tunnel.  Splashing  along  through 
a stream  eighteen  inches  deep,  caused  by  the  leakage  at  the  gates,  they  flashed  their 


torches  upon  the  walls 
in  anxious  search  for 
signs  of  wear.  They 
found  none.  From 
one  end  to  the  other, 
the  tunnel  was  as 
strong  as  on  the  day 
when  it  was  finished. 

The  inspection  was 
finished  by  7 o’clock. 

The  engineers  return- 
ed to  the  surface  of 
the  earth,  the  gates 
were  lifted,  and  one- 
thirteenth  of  the 
mighty  stream  of  Niag- 
ara plunged  again  into 
the  tunnel.  — Cement  and 
Slate,  October,  1902. 


Cement  is  Scarce. 

Order  for  50,000  Barrels  Goes 
Begging  from  Plant  to  Plant 
All  Over  the  Country. 

(Special  Telegram  to  the  Despatch.) 

Louisville,  Aug.  17,  1902. — 
A scarcity  of  Portland  Cement 
is  threatened  in  the  LTnited  States, 


Cement  Concrete  Outwearing  Bed  Rock. 


according  to  R.  H.  Evans,  a local 
Portland  Cement  man.  Mr.  Evans 
had  occasion  recently  to  buy  50,- 
000  barrels  of  Portland  Cement 
for  a Winnipeg  concern,  his  com- 
pany not  being  able  to  fill  the  or- 
der. Fie  wrote  to  22  different 
companies  in  nearly  as  many 


The  above  illustrated  portion  of  the  Mechanlcvllle  Dam  was 
built  for  the  Hudson  River  Power  Transmission  Company,  en- 
tirely of  cement  concrete,  and  is  16  feet  high,  extending  from  an 
island  in  the  Hudson  River  to  the  east  bank,  a distance  of  800 
feet.  The  waste  gates  shown  in  the  cut  were  some  of  them  only 
ten  days  old  when  the  Hudson  River  was  diverted  from  its 
banks  and  run  through  them.  On  being  examined  the  next  year 
it  was  found  that  the  exposed  concrete  was  practically  perfect, 
while  the  bed  rock  of  the  river  had  been  excavated  by  the  scour- 
ing action  of  the  current,  leaving  holes  to  the  depth  of  10  feet 
in  places  on  the  down  stream  side,  above  which  the  cement 
piers  overhung  square-cornered  and  practically  unharmed. 


cities,  and  the  best  he  could  do  was  to  place  part  of  the  order.  A firm  at  Youngstown, 
Ohio,  reported  its  output  sold  for  a year  ahead.  Detroit  refused  to  quote  prices.  “Far 
oversold”  came  the  reply  from  one  Philadelphia  concern,  and  another  reported  its  out- 


put contracted  for,  for  the  next  ninety  days.  From  New  York,  Bronson,  Mich.,  Union 
City,  Mich.,  and  a dozen  other  points  similar  answers  were  received. — Pittsburg,  Pa., 
Despatch. 


A $9,000,000  CONCRETE  AQUEDUCT. 

The  Mexican  government  has  begun  the  construction  of  a $9,000,000  aqueduct  be- 
tween Xochimilco  and  the  city  of  Mexico  which  will  be  built  of  armoured  concrete, 
using  for  reinforcement  expanded  metal.  This  form  of  construction  will  be  very 
much  cheaper  than  masonry  even  though  there  is  an  abundant  supply  of  stone  along  the 
entire  line.  The  aqueduct  will  be  82.000  feet  long,  and  6 feet  wide  by  5 high. 


Concrete  for  Sewers. 


The  crowtfi.  o 1 the 
voir  is  of  solid  cement  con- 
crete. The  short  lengths 
of  cement  sewer  pipe  shown 
are  two  or  three  feet  in 
diameter  and  are  made  in 
crude  molds  without  ex- 
pensive machinery  and 
need  no  burning  but  only  maturing 
for  a few  days.  The  last  cut  illustra 
able  test  made  in  .Tune,  1000.  by  the  IS 
Metal  Co.,  on  a portion  of  the  condul 
City  water  supply.  Fifteen  days  after 
been  made.  tons  of  steel  rails  were  i>iled 
Hon.  Three  rails  weighing  approximately 


kept  wet 
remark 
Expanded 
e .T ersey 
ion  had 
in  the  sec- 
ton  were 


then  twice  dropped  on  one  end 
this  produced  only  a deflection  < 
arch,  with  a few  cracks.  On  r 
month  later  the  arch  resumed 
practically  no  damn  ye. 


on  the  loaded  arch  ; ail 
>f  7-10  Inch  in  height  of 
•moving  the  rails  a half 
its  original  form  with 


Over  80,000  barrels  of 
Portland  Cement  were 
used  in  constructing  the 
Cleveland  Breakwater. 
The  cut  shows  an  an- 
gle of  the  Breakwater, 
top  surface  and  para- 
pet. The  Marseilles  jet- 
ty extends  into  the 
Mediterranean  over  two 
and  a quarter  miles, 
and  is  built  up  from 
large  cement  blocks 
dumped  somewhat  pro- 
miscuously into  the  sea. 


The  propriety  of  including  concrete 
construction  in  the  specifications  for  the 
building  of  sewers  is  being  contemplat- 
ed by  the  board  of  public  works  and 
City  Engineer  Harper.  It  is  said  that 
concrete  has  taken  the  place  of  brick 
for  sewers  in  a number  of  cities,  and  at 
a generally  reduced  cost  to  the  taxpay- 
ers. Concrete  is  said  to  be  as  efficient, 
if  not  more  desirable  than  brick. 

“With  concrete  in  use  for  the  con- 
struction of  sewers,”  said  Engineer  Har- 
per yesterday,  “I  feel  confident  in  saying 
it  would  mean  a saving  of  15  to  20  per 
cent  over  brick.  No  expertness  is  re- 
quired in  the  laying  of  concrete  sewers. 
Forms  are  simply  built  and  the  mixture 
is  shoveled  into  these  forms.  This  can 
be  done  by  ordinary  labor,  and  does 
away  with  brick  layers  who  demand  80 
and  85  cents  an  hour  for  their  services.” 
— Kansas  City  Journal,  Feb.  6,  igo6. 


Portland  Cement 

• Smevurt  ±*Q*e*\.  ai.pcxL.  Work.  Duluth 

Ship  Canal. 


The  south  canal  pier  at  Duluth.  Minn.,  done  in 
blocks  of  concrete  weighing  100  tons  each,  laid 
in  alternate  sections. 

The  U.  S.  Government  will  spend  over  a million 
dollars  in  making  protective  piers  for  the  harbor 
entrance  at  Superior,  Wis.,  G miles  from  the  above 
piers  at  Duluth.  In  the  office  of  the  Government 
Engineers  at  Duluth,  Minn.,  specifications  are  now 
being  made  out.  Those  will  be  the  largest  mono- 
lithic cement  concrete  piers  ever  built  in  the  U.  S. 
They  will  be  solid  concrete  from  the  foundation, 
LT>  feet  below  water  level,  to  the  top.  10  feet  above 
water,  and  they  will  be  3,200  feet  long.  Several 
hundred  thousand  barrels  of  Portland  Cement  will 
hr  required. --Cement  and  Engineering  Sews. 


100 


Hennebique  Structures. 

No.  1 shows  construction  of  the  Singrun 
machine  shop  at  Golbey,  entirely  framed  in 
concrete,  including  beams  to  support  a mov- 
able crane  of  30  tons  weight. 

No.  2 gives  a view  of  the  Simplon  canal, 
built  along  the  abrupt  mountain  side  to 
conduct  the  water  of  the  Rhone  for  motive 
power  to  Brigue,  Switzerland,  a distance  of 
two  miles.  The  canal  itself  and  the  entire 
trestle  work  supporting  it  are  built  out  of 
concrete. 

No.  3 shows  a lime  kiln  at  Luzech  built 
out  of  cement  in  which  a constant  tempera- 
ture of  1,200  degrees  heat  is  maintained. 

No.  4 is  the  picture  of  a cement  grain 
elevator  at  Strassburg,  containing  45  bins 
each  50  feet  high. 

No.  5 gives  interior  view  of  a paper  mill 
at  Pelgues.  Cement  pulp-vat  lloors  and  par- 
titions are  noteworthy. 

No.  C illustrates  a use  for  Portland  Ce- 
ment entirely  new  in  America,  but  very 
popular  in  Europe.  It  shows  the  complete 
framing  of  a building  in  concrete,  girders, 
plates,  rafters,  ail  formed  in  cement  by  the 
Hennebique  system.  The  structure  is  erect- 
ed for  the  Babcock  & Wilcox  Co.,  and 
employs  cement  girders  of  40-foot  reach. 

Kansas  City  Flood  Protection. 

Engineers  of  the  Cnitcd  States  Army  who  were 
detailed  to  make  examinations  along  the  Kaw  River 
bottoms  at  Kansas  City.  Mo.,  with  a view  to  con- 
struct protective  walls  at  that  point,  have  reported  to 
Congress  and  recommended  an  appropriation  suffici- 
ent to  build  a concrete  wall  on  both  banks  of  the 
river.  30  feet  above  low  water  mark  and  extending 
for  nearly  two  miles  up  from  the  mouth  of  the  river. 
The  bottoms  at  this  point  contain  extensive  indus- 
tries of  various  kinds  aggregating  millions  of  dollars 
which  is  jeopardized  each  year  by  the  high  water. 
Much  individual  effort  has  been  made  to  protect  prop 
ertv  by  constructing  their  buildings  of  Portland  ce- 
ment concrete,  and  surrounding  them  with  concrete 
walls.  It  is  reported  that  Nelson  Morris  alone  used 
one  hundred  thousand  barrels  of  cement  last  year. 


.1 

■■ 

, 


The  Columbia,  one  of  the  cruisers  be- 
longing to  the  United  States  Navy,  is 
lined  with  Portland  Cement.  This  ma- 
terial at  the  age  of  one  year  will  stand 
a crushing  strain  of  220  tons  to  the 
square  foot.  Portland  Cement  gives 
twice  as  great  buoyancy  as  the  steel 
which  it  replaces. 


Various  forms  of  artificial  stone  al- 
ready in  use.  showing  clearly  the  adapt- 
ability of  Portland  Cement  to  every 
conceivable  problem  involved  in  archi- 
tecture. 


101 


The  new  waterworks  scheme  for  Birmingham,  England,  now  on  the  eve  of  completion — 
the  greatest  water  scheme  that  has  ever  been  attempted — a work  involving  the  use  of  many 
thousands  of  tons  of  Portland  Cement.  The  water  is  first  stored  amongst  the  mountains  in 
six  cement  reservoirs,  the  total  storage  capacity  of  which  is  17,360  million  gallons,  and  they 
cover  an  area  of  1.499  acres.  From  the  storage  reservoirs  the  water  is  conducted  SO  miles  across 
country,  through  mountains  and  over  valleys  and  rivers  by  the  aid  of  cement  bridges,  culverts, 
walls,  tanks,  tunnels,  etc.,  to  the  large  cement  service  reservoirs  and  filter  beds  shown  in 
illustration  here.  Of  cement  concrete  work  there  are  S%  miles  of  tunnels,  35  miles  of  cut 
and  cover,  and  SI1-  miles  of  iron  pipes — the  cut  and  cover  and  tunnels  being  S feet  in 
diameter. 

The  site  of  this  extensive  concrete  reservoir  shown  above,  covers  a space  of  three-quarters 
of  a mile  in  one  direction  and  l1!  miles  in  another.  The  walls,  formed  entirely  of  Portland 
Cement  concrete,  are  10  feet  thick  at  the  base  and  about  35  feet  in  height.  The  water  is 
delivered  from  this  reservoir  into  a series  of  IS  quadrangular  filter  beds,  ranging  from  150  to 
220  feet  square,  and  forming  a total  filtering  area  of  67.000  square  yards.  These  filtering  beds 
are  also  wholly  constructed  of  Portland  Cement  concrete. — Cem eni. 


Pollaski  Concrete  Bridge  in  Course  of  Construction. 


ing  ot 
line  bet 
the  forms  in  place 
each  75  feet  long. 


is  the  build- 
the  boundary 
completed  and 
in  the  bridge, 


Including  approaches  the  structure  is  over  800  feet  in  length. 


Monolithic  Concrete  Railway  Bridge  of  the  San  Pedro.  Los  Angeles  & Salt  Lake  Ry..  being  9S4 
ipt  ton"  70  feet  hi^h  17  feet  wide  and  costing  $200,000.00.  The  arches  have  a clear  span  ot  >_  > 
el  ™d’d  inches  and  a'  rise  of  36  feet  and  9 'inches  from  the  spring  to  the  crown.  The  arch  at 
tip  crown  is  4°  inches  deep"  The  arch  construction  was  made  of  Portland  Cement,  mixed  1 cement, 
land  and 4 n crashed  stone  The  mis  for  spandiel  walls  was  1 to  11.  This  railroad  has  made 
xtensiVe  use  Gf  concrete  iS  the  construction  of  bridges,  viaducts  water  tanks  and  passenger 
tations.  It  has  already  constructed  12  standard  concrete  water  tanks. 


Thacher  Concrete  Viaduct. 


Over  West  Kennedy  Creek 
Utica  & Mohawk  Valley  Railway. 


and  the  N.  V.  C.  & H.  R.  R..  at  Herkimer,  N.  Y..  on  the  line  of  the 
Total  length  1210  feet.  Designed  by  the  Orborne  Engineering  Co. 


Portland  Cement  Bridge. 


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Street  Railway  Carshops  at  St.  Paul. 


Hollow  Cement  Concrete  Building  Block  Factory  — Five  Normandin  Machines  in  Operation. 


Ammonia  Tanks,  Racine,  Wisconsin. 


The  65-Foot  Lift  Lock  on  the  Trent  Canal,  Peterboro’,  Ont. 


irr ' 


St.  Janus  P.  E.  Church.  Brooklyn.  N.  Y. 
Constructed  entirely  of  Portland  Cement. 
110 


St.  James  P.  E.  Church,  Brook  lyn,  N.  Y. 


I 'HE  illustration  on  opposite  page  is  a reproduction  of  a photograph  of  St.  James 
P.  E.  Church,  located  at  St.  James  place  and  Lafayette  avenue,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
It  covers  an  area  of  over  11,000  square  feet,  and  has  four  gables  60  feet  high  and  a 
tower  So  feet  high.  It  represents  the  most  artistic  and  substantial  building  constructed 
of  cement  concrete  in  America,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  in  the  world  there  is  a more  con- 
vincing argument  in  favor  of  cement  construction.  The  application  of  cement  concrete 
for  building  operations  of  an  artistic  nature  is  generally  misunderstood ; the  completion 
of  St.  James  Church  is,  therefore,  a lesson  of  much  value  to  the  directors  of  building 
operations. 

One  cannot  doubt,  as  lie  views  this  magnificent  structure,  that  the  successes  of  the 
early  Roman  builder  in  applying  cement  concrete  for  important  engineering  and  archi- 
tectural operations  will  be  surpassed  in  the  present  generation.  The  early  Roman 
architects  and  builders  have  given  to  the  present  age  the  testimony  of  their  faith  in 
works  of  cement  concrete  that  have  endured  the  ravages  of  time  and  still  exist  side  by 
side  with  natural  stone,  offering  evidence  to  the  fact  that  their  judgment  as  to  the  dura- 
bility of  concrete  was  correct  in  every  respect.  The  production  of  a cement  suitable 
for  this  class  of  construction  was  discontinued  and  remained  for  ages  among  the  lost 
arts  until  1824,  when  the  discovery  of  a process  for  treating  limestone  gave  the  world 
Portland  Cement.  Since  the  date  of  its  first  manufacture  a continual  improvement  has 
been  made  in  its  quality,  until  to-day  a cement  of  superior  quality  is  being  manufac- 
tured. The  modern  builder  has  familiarized  himself  with  its  advantages  and  studied 
its  nature.  The  manufacture  of  cement  has  become  a science  and  its  application  a study 
by  the  most  progressive  engineers  of  the  world.  The  specialist  in  concrete  construction 
became  a necessity  occasioned  by  the  rapid  progress  made  in  adapting  cement  to  many 
and  varied  uses  and  conditions.  It  is  a safe  conclusion,  judging  from  the  record  of  the 
past  few  years  of  wonderful  progress  made  in  Europe  and  America,  in  developing  a 
true  understanding  concerning  cement  and  its  uses,  to  prophesy  that  the  engineer  and 
the  architect  of  the  present  day  will  give  to  posterity  examples  of  their  best  creations 
built  of  cement  concrete. 

Upon  viewing  St.  James  Church  one  is  impressed  with  the  general  appearance  of 
the  entire  work.  The  color  is  beautiful  and  even,  and  while  appearing  as  if  constructed 
of  the  highest  grade  ashlar  from  a distant  view,  shows  its  superiority  in  general  effec- 
tiveness upon  a closer  inspection.  It  has  an  exterior  appearance  of  rock-faced  massive 
granite;  and  from  the  standpoint  of  durability  and  beauty  it  is  admitted  to  be  much 
superior  to  a church  that  stands  near  by  constructed  of  natural  stone  at  three  times  the 
cost. 


ill 


HOUSE  FACTORIES. 


One  of  the  pleasing  possibilities  of  the  concrete  industry  is  that  we  may  have 
in  the  near  future  a multitude  of  “house  factories”  which  will  make  complete 
houses  and  deliver  and  erect  them  for  every  man  who  wants  a home.  The  ques- 
tion of  transportation  offers  no  obstacle.  The  cement,  sand  and  stone  have  to  be 
transported  to  the  place  where  the  concrete  house  is  to  be  erected,  and  the  cost 
would  not  be  much  greater  than  to  carry  them  separately. 

In  erecting  houses  or  ornamental  structures  of  cut  stone  it  is  customary  to 
number  each  piece  at  the  quarry  and  the  contractor  places  each  stone  where  his 
plans  direct  him  to  place  it.  The  steel  work  for  an  office  building,  a bridge  or  an 
elevated  railroad  is  handled  in  the  same  manner,  each  piece  being  numbered  and 
made  to  fit  in  one  place  and  nowhere  else.  In  the  same  manner  concrete  blocks 
could  be  turned  out  in  a factory,  each  one  planned  and  numbered  to  go  in  its 
proper  place. 

A “factory”  equipped  with  the  proper  machinery  for  handling  the  materials 
could  make  better  and  cheaper  blocks  than  a contractor  working  on  the  ground 
where  his  building  is  going  up,  especially  if  the  work  of  the  contractor  is  left  to  a 
foreman  who  has  had  little  experience  in  handling  concrete,  with  a gang  of  men 
who  have  had  no  experience  at  all.  The  “factory”  would  save  a great  deal  more 
than  the  difference  in  freight  charges  on  the  crude  materials  and  the  finished 
blocks. 

Under  present  conditions,  the  contractor  with  a shovel  can  only  erect  the 
mere  shell  of  a building.  The  factory,  with  a trivial  expenditure  of  labor  and 
materials,  could  add  a thousand  little  details  that  would  appeal  irresistibly  to  the 
taste  and  the  purse  of  the  man  who  is  building  a home  and  each  piece  could  be 
molded  and  numbered  so  it  would  fit  into  its  appointed  place  with  a minimum  of 
labor  in  erecting.  The  ceiling  with  square  corners,  for  example,  does  not  appeal 
to  the  human  eye,  and  the  man  who  can  afford  it  wants  arched  ceilings  or  mould- 
ings which  present  artistic  curves  to  the  eye  rather  than  straight  lines  and  square 
corners.  In  a “house  factory”  the  ceiling  and  floors  could  be  molded  in  any  man- 
ner desired  of  reinforced  concrete,  casting  them  in  sections,  which  can  be  fitted 
and  cemented  together  when  the  house  is  erected. 

The  house  factory  would  not  have  to  turn  out  all  the  houses  in  the  same  color 
and  from  the  same  plans.  Concrete  can  be  given  any  shade  of  color  that  may  be 
desired,  by  using  mineral  pigments  in  the  surface  materials.  The  factory  could 
afford  a variety  of  molds  or  patterns  which  is  entirely  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
local  contractor  of  the  present  day,  so  that  it  would  be  unnecessary  to  make  two 
houses  alike. 

The  man  who  wants  to  buy  or  build  a house  would  find  his  task  very  simple. 
The  factory  could  show  him  plans  and  designs,  and  when  he  found  something  that 
suited  him,  he  could  probably  be  directed  to  a house  already  built  on  the  same 
plans,  which  he  could  examine  in  detail,  so  that  he  would  see  exactly  what  the 
factory  proposes  to  give  him,  and  he  might  be  glad  to  make  a trip  of  100  miles 
to  examine  such  a house  before  placing  his  order. 

There  would  be  no  fear  of  overproduction  in  the  cement  industry  for  many 
years  to  come  if  the  “house  factory"  business  alone  could  be  established.  A man 
can  spend  $5,000  for  a house  under  present  methods  of  construction  and  not  get 
a great  deal  for  his  money,  and  may  find  that  it  is  not  just  what  he  wanted  after 
he  does  get  it.  If,  however,  a man  could  order  a house  just  as  he  would  order  a 
piano  or  a suit  of  clothes,  and  have  it  ready  to  move  in  within  30  days  after  he 
places  the  order,  the  home  problem  would  be  solved  for  a million  families  in  the 
United  States  who  live  in  apartment  caves  and  cliffs  because  the  problem  of  build- 
ing and  owning  a home  under  present  methods  is  so  uncertain  and  expensive. 


1 12 


Normaudin  Slyle  B,  Concrete  Block  Machine. 


Peninsular  Face  Down  Concrete  Block  Machine. 


Champion  Veneer  Concrete  Block  Machine. 


Favorite  No.  i Concrete  Brick  Machine. 


^ Favorite  No.  2 Sand  Cement  Brick  Machine. 


Systematic  Mixer. 


High  Grade  Concrete  Machinery  Manufactured  by  the  Cement  Mrchineiy 
Company,  Jackson,  Michigan. 

Above  machines  adopted  twice  by  U.  S.  Government;  received  the  highest  awards 
at  the  Universal  and  Portland  Expositions. 


113 


Cement  Residences. 


Mi*  s«*  houses,  built  "lit  ol  I *ortl a nd  Cerium t Mr ieddf n ^ expanded  metal,  irive  eminent 
satisfaction  and  are  meeting  with  marked  popularity.  as  cement  constructions  generally 
l,:m‘  dmn*.  \\  hen  once  such  a building  fs  eroded  in  a community  others  of  like 
character  immediately  follow  it.  Hence  it  Is  that  certain  localities  like  Southern 
( nliiornia.  Southern  Oldo.  and  Northern  Illinois  afford  so  many  illustrations  of  such 
structures. 


I 


i 


| 


11 1 


The  walls  of  the  Pone 
Cement  and  Coquina  sand, 
other  in  Florida. 

The  Green  Hotel  is  a 
walls  are  cement  concrete  e 
throughout. 


e tie  I. eon  are  built  of  concrete  marie  from 
Tbis  hotel  is  probably  more  widely  known 


port  land 
than  any 


magnificent  structure  in 
m bedding  expanded  metal. 


Southern  California.  Its 
It  is  thoroughly  fire-proof 


115 


Residence  Sid.  L.  Wilse,  Sec.  Cement  Machinery  Co.,  Jackson,  Mich. 


Broken  Ashlar  Residence,  Columbus,  Ohio. 


Portland  Cement 


The  Beautiful  new  “Art  Building”  on  the  grounds  of  the  Toronto  Industrial  Exhibition,  Toronto,  Out. 

Constructed  entirely  of  Peninsular  Portland  Cement. 


I 


Cement  Residence,  Pasadena,  Cal. 


1 


Character  of 
Materials  used  with 
Cement 


Sand,  Its 
Condition  and  Ute 

Gravel  or 
Crushed  Rock 

Preventing 

Freezing 


Proportions 


Hand  Mixing 


Machine  Mixing 


Laying 


Cellar  Floors 


Cement  Mortar 


How  to  Use  Portland  Cement. 


SAND  should  be  clean,  sharp,  coarse  and  free  from  loam  or  any  other  adhering 
matter.  The  importance  of  such  an  arcicle  in  cement  constructions  cannot  be 
over-estimated.  Doubtless  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  sand,  too,  will  be 
selected  and  tested  as  to  fitness  for  its  purpose.  If  a small  quantity  of  the  sand  to  be 
used,  stirred  in  a tumbler  of  clear  water,  muddies  it  much,  the  sand  should  be  washed 
before  being  used.  Chemically,  the  sand  should  be  as  purely  silicious  as  possible,  free 
from  alumina  and  iron.  Physically,  it  should  be  angular  and  rough  though  regular 
in  size  and  not  too  fine  or  it  will  weaken  the  work.  Its  use  in  construction  is  the  econ- 
omy of  cement,  prevention  of  shrinkage,  and  the  taking  up  of  stresses  due  to  expan- 
sion by  heat. 

Gravel  or  crushed  stone  should  be  clean  and  vary  from  one-quarter  to  two  inches 
in  size.  Washed  cinders  or  broken  brick  answer  the  same  purpose.  If  work  is  done 
during  winter  months  care  must  be  taken  to  prevent  freezing,  warm  water  being  prefer- 
able to  cold  in  mixing  concrete.  Salt  dissolved  in  the  water  will  prevent  freezing  and 
is  said  to  be  not  otherwise  harmful  than  in  producing  at  times  an  unpleasant  eftor- 
escence  on  the  surface.  A suitable  proportion  is  an  ounce  of  salt  for  each  gallon  of  water 
at  29  degrees  Fahrenheit,  increased  by  one-fifth  ounce  per  gallon  for  each  additional 
fall  in  temperature  of  one  degree. 

Various  proportions  of  sand  and  stone  are  mixed  with  one  part  of  cement  in  con- 
crete work,  but  for  ordinary  purposes,  such  as  walk  foundations,  mill  or  machinery 
foundations,  abutments,  piers,  etc.,  two  or  three  parts  of  sand  with  from  five  to  seven 
parts  of  crushed  stone  are  mixed  with  one  part  of  cement. 

In  mixing,  all  materials  should  be  actually  measured  by  volume.  Mix  cement  and 
sand  together  by  turning  with  a shovel  until  it  shows  a uniform  color,  usually  three  or 
four  times  turning  will  accomplish  this;  then  add  the  necessary  quantity  of  water  and 
the  required  amount  of  stone  previously  wet,  using  only  sufficient  water  to  bind  the 
materials  together  sc  that  when  thoroughly  mixed  by  a shovel,  the  cement  will  not 
crumble  or  fall  from  the  rock  fragments.  Too  much  water  weakens  concrete.  Moisture 
of  air  and  sand,  and  temperature  at  time  of  mixing,  are  varying  factors  in  determining 
amount  of  water  necessary.  Where  large  quantities  of  concrete  are  required,  machine 
mixing  is  preferable  to  hand  mixing,  both  for  economy  and  for  better  and  quicker  work; 
but  any  machine  to  be  highly  successful  should  provide  for  mixing  thoroughly  the  dry 
sand  and  cement  before  wetting  it. 

See  that  the  mixture,  resembling  moistened  earth,  is  rammed  properly  into  place 
in  thin  layers  with  a tamping  iron  till  it  shows  a little  moisture  on  the  surface;  put 
down  quickly  so  that  the  layers  adhere  to  each  other.  After  concrete  has  become  set, 
wet  frequently  with  abundance  of  water  for  several  days,  especially  on  sidewalk  work. 

Cellar  floors  should  be  from  three  to  four  inches  thick,  concrete  to  vary  in  strength 
in  proportion  to  the  use  the  cellar  is  put  to.  For  ordinary  purposes  a concrete  mixture 
of  one  part  cement,  five  parts  sand,  and  ten  parts  stone  will  be  sufficient.  Top  surface 
to  be  made  same  as  sidewalk  surface,  one  cement,  one  sand.  One  barrel  of  high-grade 
Portland  Cement  will  lay  about  seventy-five  square  feet  of  good  cellar  floor. 

For  masonry  and  brick  work,  use  one  part  of  cement  to  five  parts  of  clean  sharp 
sand,  adding  about  one-half  part  of  fresh  slacked  lime  to  give  the  mortar  a plastic  nature 
in  handling  and  to  add  to  its  adhesiveness,  density  and  strength.  Cheaper  mixtures 
may  be  made  by  using  with  each  additional  two  parts  sand,  one-half  additional  part  lime 
paste.  One  barrel  of  high-grade  Portland  Cement  should  be  sufficient  to  make  enough 
mortar  to  lay  up  two  thousand  bricks,  with  quarter-inch  joints.  Bricks  to  be  laid  in 
cement  should  be  soaked  so  as  to  prevent  their  absorbing  from  the  cement  the  moisture 
it  needs  in  setting. 


Portland  Cement  mortar  has  valuable  hydraulic  properties,  and  is  quick  hardening, 
so  that  it  can  be  used  under  water  or  in  cold  weather  where  no  other  mortar  could  be 
used.  It  is  weather-proof  and  comparatively  free  from  expansion  and  contraction,  and 
has  a much  greater  crushing  and  tensile  strength  than  either  lime  or  natural  cement 
mortar. 

Jn  laying  sidewalks,  depth  of  excavation  depends  greatly  on  soil;  ordinarily  about 
fifteen  to  eighteen  inches  should  be  excavated,  and  filled  up  to  within  four  to  six  inches 
of  the  level  with  good  ashes,  cinder,  gravel  or  stone,  sprinkled  and  rammed  well  to  pre- 
vent winter  frosts  from  heaving  pavement.  Side  strips  of  two-by-four  should  be  set  to 
keep  walk  in  proper  shape;  then  fill  to  within  one-half  inch  of  top  of  strips  with  con- 
crete properly  prepared;  proportions  either  three  parts  sand,  seven  broken  stone,  to 
one  cement;  or  even  four  parts  sand,  eight  parts  gravel  or  six  parts  broken  stone,  to 
one  cement.  Ram  well,  and  before  the  sub-surface  is  hard  set,  clean  and  roughen  it, 
fill  the  remaining  one-half  inch  with  top  surface,  composed  of  one  part  cement  to  one 
or  two  parts  good  sand,  or  coarsely  ground  marble  dust  or  limestone,  or  trap  rock 
screened  from  one-sixteenth  to  one-eighth  inch  in  size.  Obtain  an  even  surface  by 
working  the  top  dressing  backward  and  forward  with  the  edge  of  a level  board,  resting 
on  edges  of  strips  on  sides  of  walk;  having  worked  it  sufficiently  to  fill  all  pores,  smooth 
the  even  surface  by  troweling  it,  but  do  not  trowel  too  much,  for  excessive  troweling 
produces  air  cracks.  Blocks  should  be  laid  in  four  or  five  foot  squares.  A good  plan 
is  to  lay  every  other  block,  returning  to  lay  intervening  blocks  when  the  first  are  suffici- 
ently set  to  allow  removal  of  strips.  Blocks  should  be  kept  from  adhering  closely  to- 
gether. Water-proof  paper  may  be  laid  between  them  to  accomplish  this.  For  good 
work,  dusting  is  to  be  avoided;  but  in  case  an  excess  of  water  be  present  on  surface, 
it  may  be  removed  by  dusting  with  mixture  even  parts  sand  and  cement.  However, 
if  care  is  taken  in  previous  mixing  this  will  be  unnecessary.  The  surface  may  be  rough- 
ened or  corrugated  by  using  a roller  or  other  device  before  cement  has  had  its  final 
set,  never  disturbing  it  after  setting.  When  the  cement  has  thoroughly  set,  the  surface 
should  be  kept  free  from  dirty  water  or  dirt  to  give  uniform  color  and  be  carefully 
covered  over  and  kept  moist  for  several  days,  thereby  preventing  cracks  and  obtaining 
a clean  solid  surface.  A soft  light  gray  effect  may  be  given  the  surface  by  mixing  with 
the  dry  cement  about  three-quarters  of  a pound  of  lamp-black  to  the  barrel.  Walks 
laid  as  suggested  above  will  require  seven  to  ten  pounds  of  cement  to  the  square  foot. 
One  barrel  of  high-grade  Portland  Cement  will  therefore  lay  about  forty-five  square 
feet  of  good  sidewalk. 

Curbs  and  gutters  should  be  made  in  one  so  as  to  bind  together,  and  should  be  at 
least  five  inches  thick  at  top  and  seven  at  bottom,  sloping  mostly  on  the  walk  or  filled 
side  so  as  to  overcome  the  pressure  outward  on  the  top  of  the  curb.  They  should  be  set 
in  the  ground  fully  six  inches,  and  be  in  lengths  of  four  or  five  feet.  Surface  of  curb 
should  be  finished  with  a coat,  one  cement,  one  sand,  and  be  carefully  worked  and 
troweled  as  soon  as  retaining  board  can  be  removed  to  admit  of  same.  The  edges 
should  be  beveled  off,  leaving  no  corners  for  contact  with  carriage  or  wagon  wheels. 

Probably  the  best  known  material  for  street  crossings  is  Portland  Cement.  Recently 
it  has  been  extensively  used  for  this  purpose.  Such  a crossing  is  made  having  an  arched 
top  with  the  center  slightly  above  the  street  level.  Rains  wash  it  and  from  its  shape  the 
center  soon  dries  leaving  a clean  footing.  The  crossings  are  made  like  walks,  five  or 
six  inches  thick,  with  heavier  topping  according  to  the  usage  they  are  to  receive.  Sand 
for  topping  should  be  coarser  than  when  used  for  sidewalk  surface.  In  many  cases  these 
crossings  are  made  on  the  grade  of  the  sidewalk,  bridging  the  gutters  with  a flat  top 
arch  and  merging  into  the  sidewalk,  thus  making  easy  access  from  the  street.  City- 
authorities  need  only  to  see  these  crossings  in  use  to  adopt  them  on  the  spot. 


Why  Used 


Sidewalks 


Curbs 


Street  Crossings 


ELIEYIXG  that  men  in  general  act  according  to  their  best  judgment 


D and  modify  their  judgments  by  their  own  experience  and  that  of  oth- 
ers, and  that  intelligent  men  are  seekers  of  truth  and  welcome  it  wherever 
they  find  it,  we  purpose  making  this  hook  an  educator  for  men  willing  to 
know  the  truth  concerning  best  methods  of  building  involved  in  the  modern 
reform  movement  now  going  on  in  construction  work. 

Men  of  the  business  world  arc  all  looking  for  the  best  thing  and  the 
most  of  it  for  the  least  money.  They  want  what  the  devastating  elements 
cannot  rob  ihem  of  and  what  will  therefore  be  as  good  to-morrow  as  it  is 
to-day.  There  is  no  field  in  the  world  where  this  desire  should  be  more 
intense  than  in  the  construction  arts. 

Such  thoughts  as  these  have  inspired  us  in  gathering  much  of  the  ma- 
terial arranged  in  the  preceding  pages  to  acquaint  men  with  the  merits  of 
the  one  thing  best  in  building  materials,  Portland  Cement. 


THE  great  Works  of  the  Cowham  System  of  Portland  Cement  Mills  are 
in  constant  operation,  and  if  you  want  a good  cement,  buy  your  prod- 
uct from  a progressive,  wideawake  organization,  where  most  approved  mod- 
ern methods  are  used  in  its  production.  They  can  give  you  the  best.  You 
get  what  the  world  cannot  better  when  you  buy 


These  Brands. 


121 


AVERY  LIBRARY 

COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 


1 


